A Magical White Christmas
by VinoAmore
Summary: Hermione's Holiday Journey leads her to a love she never thought possible.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Hello lovely readers! I have to say that I am so excited to bring you this story. I fell in love with the characters and this story. I fell in love with my original character whom I am thrilled to introduce to you all. I hope you love her as much as I do.

This was written for Fairest Of The Rare Advent Calendar and will be featured in December. If any of you have not yet joined that amazing group on FB, please take a moment and do so. The admins are wonderful and it's a fun group to be a part of.

This is a complete story and I plan to post a chapter a week for the next six weeks until it's fully posted. This is a fluffy feel good Christmas love story. I hope you all love it as much as I loved writing it. It's rated M for one scene of steamy goodness.

I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the lovely and amazing betas who took their time and showed this story as much love as it deserves.

Sandra-Sempra & GeekMom13 you're both too marvelous for words ;)

**Disclaimer: All characters from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling and I appreciate her allowing us to express our creativity in her world. All original ideas and characters that are being introduced in this story are mine. I am not making any profit off this. It's just for the love of writing.

Just for the fun of it, Heres the Fancast

*Sasha Roiz - Rodolphus Lestrange

*Tom Hiddleston - Rabastan Lestrange

*Mila Kunis - Rosalie Anberlin

*Emma Watson - Hermione Granger

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Hermione situated herself in a comfortable window seat as she waited for the train to depart. As it slowly took off, her mind began to wander. She couldn't believe where life had taken her. She relaxed and watched the beautiful scenery go by as she sat in deep thought on the train. She was drained emotionally, mentally and physically. Taking a break was unheard of these past three years as they had been exceptionally long and trying. She had run herself completely ragged.

Harry and Hermione were left to face the media and the aftermath of the war by themselves after Ron decided he was going on a self-discovery trip across North America. Apparently, that meant shagging his way across Canada, the United States and apparently now Mexico. They hadn't seen or heard from him in almost the entire three years he was gone. Good riddance as far as Hermione was concerned. He had abandoned them for the last time. First, he turned his back on Harry when he needed support the most during the Triwizard Tournament, then he abandoned them both on the horcrux hunt, now this. Not to mention his continuous disregard for her throughout the course of their less than stable friendship.

Ron was not their friend and never would truly be the friend to Harry he deserved and desperately desired. There were no feelings of remorse from her or the fact Ron had led her on for a short few weeks after the war. For being the brightest witch of her age, she stupidly fell for his antics. Luckily nothing went past a couple snogging sessions.

However, her heart broke for Harry, who had viewed Ron like the brother he never had. She loved Harry and he knew she would always be there for him, but even he encouraged her to take this trip and admitted she just hadn't been the same since it was determined her parents' memories would never be restored. Deep down in the far recesses of her heart, she had held out hope; hope that they would get a happily ever after together as a family.

She had aspired to one day bring home a brilliant wizard and he would be scrutinized by her father while her mother offered tea and her delicious biscuits to help ease him through the game of interrogation. She held out hope that one day her mum would go dress shopping with her to find the perfect wedding gown for their only daughter. Imagining her groom-to-be would be waiting at the end of the aisle as she held tightly to her father's arm as he placed a kiss on her cheek before transferring her hand, with their blessing, into the hand of her wizard.

All of that thinking was completely nonsensical because she wasn't even dating anyone. There weren't even any interested prospects, although, she couldn't deny she did have feelings for a certain wizard. But that was something she needed to explore further. The odds of him reciprocating said feelings were slim so she held those thoughts for another day. She had never even been the kind of girl to give a second thought to her wedding. However, when faced with the realization of what had truly been lost, she began to dwell on all the major life events they would miss out on sharing together, and it broke her heart every time. Harry and Ginny were right, she hadn't been herself. Her brokenness was evident.

So in the midst of everything, she had given herself completely over to the Death Eater Rehabilitation Program. Apparently, there had been evidence that came to light during some of the trials. It proved some of the evil deeds that had been done were done under a dark and sinister magical curse they found created by the Dark Lord to get around using the Imperius curse. Knowing his followers would be tested, he found a way around that by creating a powerful curse of his own called Speculum Voluntatem Meam. Which literally translates to Mirror My Will. This iniquitous curse worked by bending the will of the person and altering their entire ideology and thought process to that of the castors. So they truly believed in everything they were doing. Unlike the Imperius, where they would have been essentially a robot and forgot almost all of what they had done, these men remembered everything and did it all willingly. The Death Eaters under the curse had noticed the difference when the Dark Lord fell and his curse was broken over them.

The Ministry infuriated Hermione with their lack of consideration for the ones they found to be under a curse while performing these monstrous acts. While they did take the Dark Mark willingly, it was while under the influence of this odious curse that literally altered their entire moral compass. While many of the Death Eaters did commit all these acts voluntarily and knowingly without the influence of a curse, the ones who were, Hermione had argued, should be tried differently.

With the support of Harry, who had been given the Black family seat on the Wizengamot by Sirius, she took it upon herself to make sure those Death Eaters who were proven to be under the curse got a fair trial and a chance to take part in her rehabilitation program. She and Harry had personally interviewed every Death Eater taken into custody to determine who would be eligible and interested. Much to the surprise of the Wizengamot, this program could actually spare Sacred 28 families such as the Malfoys, Rowles, Lestranges and Averys. Disgusted with the Wizengamot's interest in salvaging some of the Sacred 28 families over actually helping and rehabilitating these men who had undergone a traumatic and dreadful experience, Harry and Hermione found themselves feeling let down. Many of these men suffered from severe PTSD due to their actions during the war. Even Kingsley was a disappointment to them, playing the role of nothing but a self-righteous Ministry puppet which caused her to lose any and all respect for the man she had once come to revere as a respectable member of the Order.

She and Harry both had used favors and pulled as many strings as they could to help the rehabilitating Death Eaters. It had been three year since the program had been implemented. She wasn't even a Ministry official, but still worked relentlessly on her program because it was the right thing to do. Then another holiday started rolling around. Harry recognized how hard Christmas was on her, mainly due to her parents. Her childhood Christmas memories were among her favorite. She and her father would go sledding and build snowmen then it would be time to help mum with baking Christmas cookies.

They had family who owned a cozy inn nestled in the snow covered landscape of Vermont. Her aunt, her father's only sister, had married a nice man, an American who served in the Marine Corps. Shortly after they married and moved to America, they had decided to invest in a run down little inn nestled in the snow capped mountains of Vermont. He decided to retire from the Marines and they made it their life's work to refurbish the inn and fill it with love and families.

Every holiday they invited family for two weeks and closed it down to the public to be an exclusive getaway just for relatives. There was a large tree in the lobby they would decorate together every year. Her father's favorite part was always the star at the top, and remained Hermione's favorite as well.

She was so lost in thought she didn't even noticed the train had stopped. The attendant came around to see if she needed any assistance- which she graciously declined- as she grabbed her luggage and descended the steps of the train. Standing on the platform for the first time since the Christmas of her fourth year, she had since found her aunt and uncle kept the inn opened to the public. They struggled to maintain keeping the inn open and needed all the money they could get, or so her mother informed her during her fifth year. So she took advantage of that knowledge and booked her stay for a solid two months. Almost crying when she heard her aunt's voice on the phone, it took everything in her to maintain her composure when booking the room, telling them she was a writer and was in need of some much desired inspiration. It had been a viable enough excuse.

Harry and Ginny had been weary of her staying at the exact inn where her parents could potentially be staying at that holiday. If they were, which was doubtful, she wanted to have one last opportunity to see and know her parents were happy and doing well. Hermione hoped for one last Christmas with them, even if they didn't know who she was.

Taking in the mountainous landscape and breathing in the fresh winter air, she walked the station boardwalk in search of a taxi to her location. This was a muggle village and inn, after all, so acting accordingly was a must. She had to admit as much as she loved magic, it would be a pleasant break from everything her life had been for the past ten years. Waving down a taxi, she got in as the driver placed her luggage in the trunk of the car.

"Where to Miss?" The driver asked in a bit of a scruffy voice.

"The Snowy Mountain Inn please," She spoke quickly and precisely. Thankfully, her driver

wasn't a talkative man- the rest of the drive was spent in silence much to her relief.

As they approached the inn she paid the driver and stepped out as he retrieved her bag. Standing to take in the scenery, it was exactly how she remembered it, perhaps a little more run down than before, but nothing too drastic. She stood for a moment not paying attention as the driver took off.

Slowly walking up the snow covered walkway as memories flooded her,she remembered building numerous snowmen with her father when she was a young girl: to her right was a small hill perfect for sledding where she and her parents would spend hours on a winter's morning before going back inside to warm themselves with hot chocolate by the large stone fireplace in the lobby. She recalled all the snowball fights she would have with the other children from her uncle's family,most of whom were honorary family members from his time in the military.

Her uncle was an only child so his family was small, but his military family was quite extensive if memory served her right. In fact she had almost forgotten her closest childhood friend. When she was five years old she met Rosalie. Hermione never made friends easy and was considered somewhat odd, so when young Rosalie introduced herself, a girl who seemed to have the same struggles, they got along swimmingly. Christmas with Rosalie was something Hermione came to look forward to. They corresponded through letters and phone calls, even though they were in different parts of the world. After she started Hogwarts her muggle friend was all but forgotten.

Hermione continued up the path to the entrance as she fought back the tears. Perhaps Harry and Ginny were right. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. Looking back, noticing the taxi had long since gone, gave her no choice at this point and made her way to the cozy little lodge entrance and stepped inside.

She met the eyes of a beautiful middle aged women. Hermione had always thought her aunt Julia to be one of those women who only got more beautiful with age. She hadn't changed much since she last saw her back in fourth year, aside from a few smile lines accenting the sides of her lips. Her soft blond hair fell in waves just past her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled with something warm and familiar to Hermione she once thought to be lost. She had never noticed how similar in features her aunt was to her father until now. Aunt Julia had the same bone structure, exact same nose and perfect smile. She fought to maintain composure as she approached the counter to check in.

"Hello, how can I help you today?".

"My name is Hermione Grayson, I have a reservation."

"Oh yes of course, Miss Grayson; our long term guest! How lovely to meet you. Let me get you all booked and then I'll go over the menu for the room service and activities we have to offer."

"Please, if you don't mind I'd really like to get started on some writing. I'll come back later for the activity schedule." She said as nicely as she could. She didn't know how long she would last before she broke down and didn't want anyone to see her.

"Of course, I completely understand. Here's the key to your room. It's one of the most private rooms we have and the view is spectacular. You'll find it on the third floor at the very end of the hall on the right. I do believe there is only one other reservation that has booked a room on the third floor for the entirety of your stay. So you will have that floor to yourself once the holidays are over. I do hope you find it to your liking."

"Yes I do believe I will. Thank you," Hermione replied as she took the key to the room she had spent so many holidays with her parents. Making her way up to the third floor slowly, she found herself once again reminiscing along the way. Mourning over the loss of her parents had already happened, reminding herself this trip was for closure and nothing more.

When she got to her rooms though, she took in the site of the exact same room she remembered staying in with her mum and dad. Nothing had changed. A wave of emotions flooded her as she dropped her suitcase and slid down the door to the floor,letting go of all the loss and anguish she had suppressed for years. She mourned until she had nothing left and felt herself drift off to sleep.

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Hermione blinked her eyes open, still in a daze, thinking this was the most uncomfortable bed she'd ever slept in. She lifted her head as she took in her surroundings, taking a moment to realize just where she actually was. Yawning, she peered up at the clock on the wall, squinting to read 1:17am. With a groan, she remembered crying herself to sleep on the floor. Sluggishly, she got up and took off her coat. As she rose she heard voices in the hallway and her heart froze. If her parents were here they would be staying on the third floor. She held her ear to the door and listened, the voices, from the sounds of it, were coming from the room down the hall.

There were only four large suites on the third floor, most of which were reserved for honeymooners or in her case families on holiday together. She had been informed there was only one reservation booked for the third floor for the entire duration of her stay. The voices were muffled, but she could make out two deep baritone voices. She was overcome with a mix of relief and heartache. On one hand she wanted to see her parents for closure, if nothing else, but on the other hand, just being here could be enough.

She ignored the arriving guests and walked from the living area into the bedroom to unpack her suitcase. This may be a muggle hotel, but nothing was stopping her from using an extendible charm and filling her suitcase with everything she would need for a two month long holiday. She had brought her laptop to keep in touch with Harry via email. The two had a laughable experience showing Ginny the basics. If anything, Hermione had given them both the phone number to the inn. She was determined to keep in touch with them both while she was away. She would miss them.

She showered and changed into some night clothes. It was refreshing to get the travel of the day washed off and just feel relaxed again. Suddenly her stomach growled and she realized she had missed dinner. She rummaged through her purse to fish out the almonds and the apple she had purchased earlier that day. Thankful she had something to satisfy her, she grabbed a book and waved her wand to light the fire. Some magic was okay to use in the privacy of her own room. She curled up next to the fire in her favorite chair from her childhood, and read until she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore as she again drifted off to sleep in the oversized chair she used to sit in with her father.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm excited to post this a bit early for you all. Thank you so much to those of you who took the time to leave a review, they are so encouraging to receive. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter.

A special thank you to my Betas for their incredible work Sandra-Sempra & Geekmom13

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Hermione awoke to rays of warm sunlight hitting her face. She peeked open her eyes as she lifted her neck and realized, rather painfully, she probably shouldn't have slept in the chair. Her stomach rumbled as she noticed it was already ten in the morning. She had slept in and needed to get some breakfast. Local snow covered trails beckoned her, one of her favorite things to do as a little girl here. She got herself ready and stepped out in the hallway, smile brushing her lips as her eyes fell on the door across the hall from her room; her mind wondered who her third floor companions were. She was interrupted by her uncle as he walked briskly down the hall towards her rooms.

"Good morning. You must be Miss Grayson. I was just about to bring you some fresh towels and a complimentary basket. We give these to all our third floor guests." He greeted with a bright grin as he extended his hand. "I'm Danny, the proprietor of this humble little establishment. Along with my wife, Julia."

Hermione smiled brightly back; she hadn't seen her uncle in almost eight years. He looked exactly the same, if it weren't for a few more greys and some friendly crinkles around his eyes, With his warm and welcoming smile, just as she remembered. She always thought how fitting it was his name was Danny and he owned an Inn in Vermont. He looked almost just like the star of one of her and her mum's favorite holiday movies, _White Christmas_. Her uncle looked so much like Danny Kaye.

"Hello Danny, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm thrilled to be here. You have such a lovely place."

"Thank you. I hope you take some time to enjoy the outdoors a little while you're here. It's such a beautiful time of year. Well I better get this to your room," he said holding up the basket. "It's a pleasure to have you. I'm positive I'll see you around." He passed her and knocked on the door of the room across the hall, setting the welcome basket down when he didn't get an answer, and continued on towards her room, letting himself in. Hermione watched him as she waited for the elevator until he disappeared into her room. It was lovely to see her uncle again, even if he didn't remember her. She recalled how wonderful he was and how happy he made her Aunt Julia.

Walking down to the lobby towards the restaurant, she took in the beautiful and festive Christmas decorations. Some things had been updated but most of what she saw, she remembered: every window, doorway, archway, and room was filled with loads of holly sprigs, fresh evergreen garland and wreaths, fresh poinsettias and white holiday lights, glowing with candlelight incandescence. A warm crackling fire was set ablaze in every room from the lobby, to the entertainment room, and restaurant which completed the cozy holiday atmosphere. Fresh scents of the evergreen consumed her senses as she was met with a beautiful view of snow covered mountains when she entered the restaurant for breakfast. She ordered a hearty meal because she had missed dinner the previous night.

As Hermione waited for her breakfast she couldn't help but notice how few people there were that morning. Usually this place was bustling this time of year, from what she remembered anyway. Perhaps it was just a lull before the crowd got here for the holidays. She was still pondering on the emptiness of the room when her food arrived and she enjoyed every delicious bite. When she was finished she decided to walk back to her room to get her coat and scarf so she could walk one of the trails. As she passed the reception desk with someone checking in, her ears perked up when she heard the greeting the guest used for the proprietor's wife.

"Aunt Julia! How are you? Oh, I've missed you so much."

Hermione's head snapped around as she saw a young brunette woman who appeared to be about her age, enthusiastically hugging _her_ aunt and using the title she could no longer use. This sparked a brief moment of jealousy to surge through Hermione but she couldn't do anything about it. She slowed in the lobby, pretending to look over the daily schedule of activities so she could listen to find out who this person was. She didn't like this, not one bit.

"Danny look who's here! What a pleasant surprise. How are you sweetheart? You look absolutely beautiful," Julia said as she hugged the girl.

"I'm great! I just missed my favorite place in the world to be for the holidays."

"Aren't your mom and dad going to be here as well?" Danny inquired as he hugged his honorary niece.

"Actually, they won't be able to make it. My mom's sister needs some help so she's staying with her for the holidays and dad went with her. He didn't want mom to be alone for Christmas. So I'm here to take their place. Hope that's okay. I know we didn't call to tell you." She casually leaned back against the counter on the inside of the reception desk as she continued talking to Danny and Julia.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mum's sister, I do hope everything is alright." Julia politely inquired.

"I'm sure she'll be okay. Thank you for your concern, Aunt Julia. On another note, I was hoping to secure one of the third floor suits? Would that be possible? I know mom and dad booked a second floor room, but I've always preferred the quiet low key atmosphere of the third floor."

"Anything for you darlin'. Although to be honest the second floor is just as quiet as the third floor at this point. Unfortunately," Danny sighed as he began checking the guest in.

"What's going on? Are you not booked for the holidays?"

Hermione's ears perked up at the turn in the conversation. She kept her attention glued to what they said without being conspicuous.

"Sweetheart, we haven't been booked for the holidays in years." Julia didn't attempt to hide the sadness in her tone. She looked at her husband, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say _you may as well tell her_. "Rosalie, we've decided this will be our last year at the inn. We just can't do it anymore. We've had to let go of almost all of our staff, except for the kitchen. We clean all the rooms and wash all the laundry ourselves. It's gotten to be more than we can handle. No one wants to come anymore," Julia completed with a sigh.

"What happened? I don't understand, this place used to get so full you had to turn people away," Rosalie's expression was that of shock and dismay as she took her room key from Danny.

"Honestly we were doing great until all these big ski resorts started moving in. They offer spas, and hot tubs and jacuzzis in the rooms, personal ski and snowboarding lessons, they have their own sports shops where people can buy or rent snow gear. We're just a little family owned inn. We can't compete with all that," Danny looked at his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "So we're retiring and going to travel. Julia's brother and his wife moved to Australia a few years ago and neither of us have ever been. We're planning a trip to see them in the spring. We have enough savings to keep us going for a while until we can sell this place," Danny finished as he placed a kiss on his wife's temple.

Hermione's heart clenched at her uncle's mention of her parents. They were doing well at was a relief. However, if they were planning a trip to see her parents in the spring, odds are they wouldn't be visiting here for the holiday. But it was still a slight possibility. She forced her thoughts back to the conversation.

"Uncle Danny, I had no idea. I'm so sorry to hear that. This place is truly my absolute favorite vacation spot. I have so many fond memories here. I remember Mr. and Mrs. Granger well," Rosalie said with a reminiscent smile. "They had a daughter about my age. We were pen pals for a time, and would write each other often. They lived in London and we would call one another the closer it got to the holidays. She was my favorite person here. We had so much fun together. Her name was…" Rosalie was cut off by Julia.

At this Hermione froze. So it was her old childhood friend. But the question remained why Rosalie remembered her parents had a daughter while no one else did. How was its she remembered her? Something was off. She had to get to the bottom of this and fast. But at the moment she continued to listen.

"Rosalie sweetheart, Wendell and Monica never had any children, and their name is Wilkins not Granger," Julia responded in confusion looking at Danny, who just shrugged at his wife.

Rosalie's eyes went wide with surprise and confusion. "Of course, you're right. I must be mistaken," she conceded with a polite smile. "A lot of military families used to frequent this place. I'm sure I must be thinking of someone else. Anyway, it's been a long trip and I should get to my room. When I come back down I want to hear more about this amazing trip to Australia," she said smiling as she grabbed her suitcase and backed out of the reception desk.

"Of course dear, we'll have some tea and I'll tell you all about what we have planned. I think I've talked Danny's ear off so much he feels like he's already come and gone," Julia joked as she looked up at her husband and chuckled.

Rosalie smiled as she turned and made her way to the elevators. She knew something was going on. Remembering their names weren't Wendell and Monica Wilkins, but James and Annie Granger, and that they did have a daughter named Hermione. She remembered them all quite vividly. Always having been an awkward child and made to feel like an outcast because of her magic. Both girls had always felt a certain kinship with one another.

Of course back then she didn't know exactly what it was that made her different, discovering it was magic when she received her acceptance letter to Ilvermorney and also a visit from Headmaster Finnegus Zenphrey. She had only speculated Hermione Granger was a witch as well as it would explain her sudden lack of correspondence. Rosalie laughed to herself as she thought back to when she was searching for Hermione Granger in the sea of first years when she was only eleven. She had asked her Head of House after the sorting ceremony if London witches went to Ilvermorney too, remembering her chuckling and explaining London witches and wizards went to Hogwarts while American witches and wizards attended Ilvermorney. She never gave it much thought after that.

She remembered seeing Hermione only once more in fourth year for the holiday. After that, it was as if she completely disappeared. Then a horrible thought occurred to her, recalling the rumors about a war spearheaded by a monstrous dark wizard and his followers. She stilled in the elevator, contemplating if something terrible had happened to Hermione. But then, she would still be remembered. No, something wasn't adding up. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hermione Granger existed. Why was she seemingly the only person who remembered her? She had to figure this out, and would stay as long as she had to in order to get to the bottom of all of this. But perhaps a trip to London would be more productive. This would bother her too much if she didn't figure it out.

Stepping out of the slow moving elevator she walked to her room just as two gentlemen stepped out of theirs. Her eyes met theirs and she smiled politely. As they brushed by her she felt the tingle of magic, she froze and turned to them. They both had their heads turned back at her, they felt it too. Both wizards were devastatingly handsome, aristocratic even, both tall with sophisticated demeanors and clean shaven with just the right amount of chisel to their jaws. One had milk chocolate brown eyes, the other hazel. The one with hazel eyes met her green ones. He smirked and gave her a slight nod as if to acknowledge that he sensed her magic as well. Returning it with a small smile of her own as she entered her room. Curiosity got the best of her then, pondering as to why two wizards of their stature would be residing in a No-Maj inn such as this one. It was another puzzle to solve, a riddle in need of deciphering which she was dead set on resolving. But first, she was in dire need of a shower and rest, if not a bottle of wine to wrap her head around the mystery of her missing childhood friend and the magical strangers.

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Hermione stood stunned as she listened to the exchange between Rosalie and her aunt and uncle. She had so many questions swimming in her mind, but her main thought was how could someone from her past remember her when she had erased all traces of herself from her parents' lives. Everyone associated with them should be oblivious to her. Confusion battled relief, her fond memories of Rosalie briefly taking over but she needed to get answers. She stepped towards the elevator, which she noticed was moving ridiculously slow lately, and waited patiently, contemplating her thoughts as the elevator door finally opened. Perring up, her eyes went wide as she was face to face with none other than Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. She quickly stepped inside before they addressed her and pressed the button multiple times as fast as she could.

"Hello, Miss Granger." said Rodolphus in his sexy voice that always sent shivers down her spine.

"Hello Mr. Lestrange, Mr. Lestrange," as she nodded her head addressing both brothers.

"I don't know if you noticed, but we had intended to get _off_ the elevator." Rabastan commented as the elevator began to slowly move back up to the third floor.

"Hmmm? Oh right, I am sorry. I'm in a hurry to get back up to my room. I…er...need to get my coat and scarf. I wanted to venture out on the trails today," Pausing a moment to contemplate her next question. In the end there really was no tactful way of asking. "I'm very sorry to be so forward but what are you doing here? At a muggle Inn? In Vermont of all places?"

Rodolphus chuckled at her apparent uneasiness but indulged her nonetheless. "Miss Granger," he began before he was interrupted.

"Please call me Hermione." She was desperate to not have her name thrown around here. What a nightmare. Could this be any worse? First Rosalie remembered her and now the Lestrange brothers were here. How on earth was she ever going to get through this. Then Rodolphus spoke her name and all her thoughts melted away.

"Hermione." He said and paused for a moment to savor how the lovely name felt rolling off his tongue. "The Lestrange family has multiple investment interests. Not only in wizarding Britain, but all over the world including Vermont, of all places," he smirked as he took in the way her face flushed. She was a vision. He had thought that the first time he saw her years ago, but he was the epitome of evil and she, a beacon of light. He could only ever dream. Not to mention he was bound to a demented witch who kept him and his brother under a curse. He always believed he would never have an opportunity to win her heart. But with the way her honey brown eyes seemed to be entranced every time he was around, perhaps he did have a chance with this beautiful witch after all.

"Of course you do. I'm so very sorry." She said as the slow elevator finally dinged and opened the door to let her out. "Well, thank you for keeping me company and it really is lovely to see you both."

"Perhaps we could all meet later tonight for dinner downstairs," Rabastan suggested. "There's a witch we passed just now in the hall, I felt her magic. Maybe she would like to join us. It appears the third floor is reserved for those with magical blood," He chuckled as he concluded.

Hermione's eyes widened as she put two and two together. "Another witch you say? Well I presume she would be delighted if we were to ask her. Perhaps I should introduce myself first. I'll let you gentleman get back to what business you have. And yes, I look forward to dinner tonight. Shall we say around seven?" She stepped out of the way of the elevator door, never taking her eyes off the handsome Rodolphus Lestrange.

"We'll see you then Hermione," Rodolphus replied with a soft smile.

Hermione kept her eyes on the elevator door for a moment longer before she turned and ran to her room. "What the bloody hell is wrong with me! I've gone completely barmy. That's the only logical explanation. Why do I feel and act like a complete nutter whenever I'm around him," entering her room she opened the basket to get the bottle of wine and retrieved a glass from the kitchenette. Because wine was exactly what she needed. She had felt it the first time they had interviewed him, the intensity in his gaze when he looked at her. She saw the desire and the hunger in his eyes when he spoke to her, and it made her weak in the knees, causing her knickers to get wet everytime without fail. "Oh good Godric, Hermione, you've gone and fallen in love with Rodolphus Lestrange," She said to herself as she took the first gulp of wine and refilled her glass.

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As the elevator door closed Rabastan rolled his eyes at his brother. "Could you be any more obvious Roddy?"

"She's nearly half my age Rab, and I'm not looking to play games any longer. I spent most of my life thus far, with a psychotic witch that held us both under a dark curse by orders of our former Dark Lord, whom she obsessed over. If I'm lucky enough to attract the attentions of a beautiful, intelligent young witch, I'm not going to waste any time. Neither should you for that matter," Rodolphus said as they exited the elevator and made their way to the restaurant for an early lunch.

"Yes, I wonder about that other witch here. She is quite the delectable little brunette morsel isn't she? Did you sense her magic? I do hope Miss Granger keeps her promise to introduce herself and invites her to dinner tonight," Rabastan said with a sly grin.

"Speaking of that, did you see the look in her eyes when we mentioned that other witch? It was as if she were piecing together a puzzle. Do you think she knows the girl? Wonder if there is more going on than we see." Rodolphus wondered to his brother.

"All I know is, I'm thankful to the young Miss Weasley for telling you where she would be going. With how you've been acting Roddy, I don't know if you could tolerate being in a different country for a whole two months," Rabastan chuckled as he teased his brother.

"We owe her a debt of gratitude Rabby. After all, we're here because of her. If it hadn't been for her fighting for all the death eaters held under that odious curse, all of us would be holed up in Azkaban for the remainder of our existence. We all owe her and Potter the same appreciation. Now that we are here, this should be a prime spot for a new investment opportunity. This place is a gold mine. I want to look into how many wizarding resorts are around here. Perhaps we have potential to make this place a magical destination. I wonder if the proprietors would be interested in selling."

"Stop trying to change the subject, brother. So that gratitude justifies following her across an entire ocean?" Rabastan replied as a waiter approached to take their order. Once the waiter was walking away Rodolphus responded.

"I won't deny it, I plan to make my intentions known to Miss Granger before we leave here. I have hope that perhaps she feels something for me and will allow me to court her. However, I meant what I said about a possible investment. I am going to have our solicitors reach out to the proprietors and remain anonymous. This place would truly be a favorite within the magical community if all the area has to offer are muggle establishments. I wonder how Hermione likes it here. Perhaps she would be willing to help me run things if I did buy it," Rodolphus thought out loud.

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself Rod? You've barely spoken more than a few sentences to Miss Granger since our arrival and already you're planning on sharing in a business venture with her? And what's this about moving here to run the place? Surely you don't mean to leave Britain?"

"I've been thinking Rabby, and I truly believe that I need a change. A life altering change in order to help me move past things," Rodolphus admitted as he looked down at his coffee in contemplation.

"I can understand the need to help move past things, but moving to America? Do you really think that would help? What about our seats on the Wizengamot and rebuilding our family name?" Rabastan argued.

"First I need to rebuild myself before I worry about rebuilding the family name. Don't you feel the same? Don't you feel like there's just so much we need to let go of and move past?"

"Yes I do, but we also have a responsibility now that we're back. We need to keep our family name going. We need to attempt to abolish the dark reputation that is synonymous with our family. Running away isn't going to help that." Rabastan's tone held frustration as he paused to allow the waiter to place their food in front of them, when the waiter left, Rodolphus responded.

"I'm aware the of the negative connotation that is synonymous with our name. However, there are things I need to work on in myself first. So if you're interested, perhaps we can work out an agreement."

"What sort of agreement?" Rabastan asked curiously.

"If you choose to stay in Britain I will allow you full control over the family estate and holdings for a time. As long as I can have this inn. This is not a permanent move, it is merely me taking an active interest in a lucrative overseas investment. Unless, of course, you see fit to join me in this venture. Then we can both take some time to heal and then, perhaps, go back when we both feel the need to make a new name for our family. But honestly Rab, right now I really feel that the only way to rebuild our name is to take time for us. But this is _not_ _running_ _away_. I need this peace and serenity. I want to share this with a beautiful, intelligent witch who perhaps wants a family."

"A witch like Miss Granger. When did you first notice her Roddy? I know you both share an _intensity_ , but this talk is coming from a man who's had developing feelings for quite some time. I have an inkling this isn't a recent development."

"No, I dare say it's not," Rodolphus paused and wandlessly cast a muffliato charm around them. Even though they were the only two in the restaurant he didn't want to take any chances. "I noticed her during the war. It was when we walked in on the former Mrs. Lestrange," he said with a sneer. "She was torturing her. It was brutal and vile just like she always used to enjoy. Greyback was there, Bella gave Hermione to Greyback when she was done. Before Fenrir could leave with her, I stepped in and interrupted the proceedings. I didn't know what I was going to do but I'd rather place her under a curse myself than allow that monster to brutally defile her. Fortunately, I didn't need to do any such thing. That's when the elf showed up and rescued them all. Thank Merlin for that little elf. I saw her defiant look through all of the torture. She was desperate to get through to Bellatrix that she didn't have what she was looking for. But the fierceness in her eyes showed even if she did, she would have willingly died before betraying her friends. It was her loyalty, defiance and _fire_ that caught my attention. Since that day I protected her when I could without being conspicuous about it. In the final battle, I made sure she was safe as much as possible without making it obvious. There was a moment when Rookwood had his wand aimed at her back while she was dueling Amycus. I killed him before he could kill her. Even under that spell, I didn't want anything to happen to her. No one saw that but I remember it. Then she and Potter came to my cell in Azkaban, looking to help rehabilitate me. I remember I was stunned. All I could do at first was stare at her before I answered any of their questions. If I hadn't already fancied myself in love with her, that moment would have no doubt solidified those feelings," He completed with a deep breath as he took the last bite of his meal.

"I had no idea. You never said a word."

"Well, now you know." He responded, taking a sip of his cooling coffee.

"For what it's worth, Rod. She would be quite the lucky witch to have a wizard like you. I hope she treats you right."

"How do you even know she feels the same?" Rodolphus asked with a slight chuckle.

"I've seen the way she responds to you. Besides, we're the Lestrange brothers. Regardless of what's happened, what woman could ever resist our charms or our devilishly handsome good looks," Rabastan smirked as they both stood up and began walking towards the door. "How does a nice walk about the grounds sound? After all, if it's going to be ours, we may as well come up with a plan."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N I'm so excitied to be posting this update. I really love this chapter and I hope you do too. Another shout-out to my amazing Betas Geekmom13 & Sandra-Sempra for your dedication and time.

Only Forever - Bing Crosby

Do I want to be with you  
As the years come and go?  
Only forever  
If you care to know

Would I grant all your wishes  
And be proud of the task  
Only forever  
If someone should ask

How long would it take me  
To be near if you beckon?  
Off hand I would figure  
Less than a second

Do you think I'll remember  
How you looked when you smile?  
Only forever  
That's puttin' it mild

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After a couple more glasses of wine, Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She needed answers. She could sit and speculate all night, but what good would that do? It would only stir up a list of _new_ questions. No, she needed to talk to the witch. But what room is she in? Well, there are only four rooms on the third floor. She knew which room Rodolphus and Rabastan were staying in so that narrowed it down to only two. If she knocked on the wrong door, the worst thing to happen was she wouldn't get an answer.

Just contemplating knocking on the door of her closest childhood friend to talk about why she remembered her when she shouldn't have was a little more unsettling than one would think.

"Oh bloody hell. One more glass of wine should give me that Gryffindor courage that seems to be escaping me at the moment." But she knew _why_ she was so anxious. Rosalie was the only connection to her childhood, to her parents, to her aunt and uncle that existed. No one else remembered her. Her memories were like ghosts haunting her mind. Having someone remember would make letting go so much more manageable. It would also make those haunting memories come alive again. Rosalie was a witch no less, so Hermione literally could explain everything to her and she would probably understand.

Unlike Harry, bless his heart, who tried, but he grew up with a completely different life. He would always be there for her but he never truly grasped the sacrifice. Ginny just felt sorry for her, which Hermione hated. Ginny couldn't wrap her head around willingly letting her family go because she was never faced with such a decision. But Rosalie remembered her parents, remembered who she was before Hermione Granger became a war hero or even before she ever knew she was a witch. Rosalie recalled the bushy haired, buck tooth little girl who always got made fun of and she always understood, just like Hermione always understood her. Rosalie would understand or at least she hoped.

Gulping down the last bit of wine and feeling the warm sensation of the alcohol affecting her inhibitions, she jut out her chin with a determined look upon her face, opened the door and stepped into the hall. Just as she did the door next to her room opened and Rosalie stepped out to retrieve the complimentary basket from the floor. As she stood up her eyes met Hermione's and went wide. Hermione smiled slightly as she stepped closer to her only childhood friend. There was a tense few moments before Hermione extended her hand to the witch.

"Rosalie Anberlin, it's been a while. How are you?" She asked in a worried but soft tone.

Rosalie took Hermione's hand and dragged her into her room. "Hermione Granger." She said as she sat the basket down. When Hermione nodded, Rosalie pulled the bottle of wine from the basket and offered her a glass. "Yes, it has been a while. A lot has happened," Rosalie responded, cautious on how to proceed around the elephant in the room. She just needed to come out and say it. "Why doesn't anyone remember you?" Rosalie asked at the exact moment that Hermione got her question out.

"How do you remember me?" Hermione asked simultaneously.

Both girls chuckled and took a sip of their wine before Rosalie asked again, "Hermione, why did Julia say that James and Annie Granger never had any children when I'm sitting across from you and I know they did? Also, why are they now known as Wendell and Monica Wilkins? Why doesn't your family remember you?"

Hermione sat in silence for a moment contemplating on where to begin her story. "Honesty, I don't quite know where to begin. There's so much to it. It's not as simple as one answer. But I can sense your magic," she said, smiling softly at Rosalie.

"Yes, apparently we had _a_ _lot_ more in common than we thought when we were young," Rosalie paused, sensing her friend's discomfort. She knew whatever had happened to cause all of this, had to be hard at the very least. She wanted Hermione to know that she wasn't there to judge her. But perhaps someone to listen to her was what she needed. "Listen Hermione, I know that it's been a long time since we saw each other last, and I did hear about the war. I can't even begin to imagine the atrocities you must have been faced with. When we were young, we both endured the same kind of treatment. We were there for each other through that. Now that we're adults, I want to be there for you through whatever this is as well. I know I can't change what happened or make anything better, but please, you need to open up to someone. I'm here."

That was all Hermione needed before she dropped her face into her hands and broke down. Rosalie offered her a tissue and let her cry as she sat next to her, offering her what comfort she could. When Hermione's tears subsided, Rosalie moved across from her and refilled their glasses. She patiently waited for Hermione to continue.

"I really don't know where to begin. But I guess I'll start at the beginning. My best friend at Hogwarts, my brother now, is Harry Potter." Hermione proceeded to tell Rosalie every detail of everything she, Harry and Ron had endured through the war. Leading up to altering her parents memories and beyond that to the horcrux hunt, the final battle and even the rehabilitation program. By the time Hermione was finished, the sun had already set and she had cried all the tears she could. Rosalie just sat there through it all and handed her tissues when she needed them, refilled her wine glass when it was low and never interrupted. Hermione felt like a massive brick wall had been lifted from her chest. She wiped away a stray tear and looked up to see Rosalie's tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

"Oh Hermione, I am so sorry that you had to endure all of that alone." She rushed across the coffee table to her friend on the couch and gave her a comforting hug. "If only I had known. I would have tried to do something. Anything that might have helped you."

"No Rosalie, there's nothing you could have done. But I will say that venting all of this to someone for the first time, was probably the most therapeutic thing that has happened to me since the start of all of this when I was twelve," She responded as she pulled back and Rosalie settled into the opposite end of the couch from Hermione.

"So the last time I saw you in fourth year, was the year of that Tournament thing when the evil wizard, Tom Riddle or what did you say he called himself again…"

"Voldemort."

"Right Voldemort. That's when the war really started? Well that explains why I haven't seen you since. So why did you decide to come here? If you knew that no one would know you, why come back?"

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed before responding, "I think I just missed them so much that I wanted one more holiday where I could feel close to them. This was always such a special time of year for us all. I just wanted to feel a connection to mum and dad one last time before I completely let it all go," her voice was thick with desperation.

"Well, you saved me a trip to London." Rosalie said with a slight chuckle as she sipped the remainder of her wine.

Hermione looked at her questioningly, "What do you mean?"

"Earlier when I was talking to Danny and Julia and they mentioned you didn't exist, I decided to go to London to find you and get answers. I knew I didn't make you up. I knew you weren't some elaborate figment of my imagination. I knew you existed and I was determined to find you." Rosalie said with a defiant look in her eye.

Hermione truly laughed for the first time in a long while. "You were going to travel to a completely different continent just to prove you weren't losing your mind?" Hermione said through small bouts of giggles then laughed again after she completed her thought.

Rosalie couldn't help but join in and laugh with her. She had to admit when put like that, it _did_ sound rather silly. "Okay, maybe that wouldn't have been the most thought out plan I've ever had, but I was already thinking about dates."

Suddenly Hermione's head shot up, "Dates! Oh goodness, I completely forgot. Rodolphus and Rabastan invited us for dinner downstairs tonight."

"You mean those incredibly handsome wizards I saw earlier in the hall? You know them? Oh Hermione, I'm so glad we're friends," Rosalie teased.

Hermione chuckled, "Wait till you hear _how_ I know them. But that story is for another time." She said as she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Can you be ready in half an hour?"

"Absolutely." She said with a big smile.

"See you in a bit," Hermione said as she walked out the door to her room.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The brothers arrived at the restaurant a few minutes before seven. A quick scan told them they were the only patrons there. They looked at one another and decided to take a seat where they desired. They chose a circular booth in a secluded corner. Private enough in the event patrons decided to visit the establishment.

"I wonder if we'll be graced with the company of two lovely witches tonight," Rabastan wondered out loud.

The girls didn't keep them waiting long. They entered the room with a presence and the gentlemen stood to greet them. Both witches were smiling brightly and looked positively gorgeous in their dresses. Although you could easily tell which gentleman preferred which lady.

"Hermione, you look radiant," Rodolphus said as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, allowing it to linger slightly longer than proprietary called for. But the flush on her cheeks and the desire in her eyes told him he was welcome to do so anytime. He took great pleasure in storing that look to memory. It was a look he desperately wanted to see on her again. They were both snapped back to their surroundings and current company by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Hermione flicked her eyes in the direction of the sound but Rodolphus never moved his gaze from her. He had never seen her so done up before, and surely never had the opportunity, but now here she was, dressed to dazzle, for dinner with him. Her eyes slid back to Rodolphus.

"Rodolphus, how lovely to see you again," Hermione said as she begrudgingly removed her hand from his warm strong grip. She turned to Rabastan who also took her hand but only for a brief moment as he greeted her. "Please allow me to introduce you both to my friend Rosalie Anberlin. Rosalie, this is Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange."

Rabastan didn't waste a moment as he took Rosalie's hand and greeted her properly. Rodolphus did the same but Rosalie noted the hand he rested on the small of Hermione's back. After the introductions were out of the way, they all took their seats. As they did they noticed a Jazz trio setting up on stage.

"A Jazz band all for us. How lovely. I adore Jazz music," Rosalie commented then turned to Rabastan. "Do you enjoy Jazz Mr. Lestrange?"

"Please, no need to be so formal, call me Rabastan," he said with his most handsome smile.

"Very well, then please call me Rosalie," she replied as she flushed slightly under his gaze.

"To answer your question, Rosalie, yes I do enjoy a good trio."

Just then the waiter came by and took their drink orders. Rodolphus didn't hesitate to order their best wine. Hermione was glad she took that sober-up potion before getting ready.

"So what did you gentleman occupy your day with today? Did you do have time to enjoy any of the outdoor activities?" Hermione inquired as Rodolphus stretched an arm across the back of the booth. Hermione instinctively leaned into him just a little, a move that didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

Rabastan only smirked to himself and thought, ' _No woman can resist the Lestrange charm. We've still got it. Get your witch Roddy. You deserve to be happy.'_

"Yes, we took a pleasant stroll about the grounds. This is a beautiful piece of land. The view is spectacular. The mountains add a breathtaking backdrop. It's rather shocking, it appears we're some of the only guests here to enjoy such an establishment," Rabastan stated.

"Did you see the winter garden they have? It's so lovely. I never knew there were so many different plants and flowers that bloomed in the winter," Hermione smiled.

"It's a shame this place is so dead. It used to be so lively. Danny and Julia poured their hearts and souls into this place. Now it's running them ragged," Rosalie commented with a sad sigh.

"Do you know the proprietors, Rosalie?" Rodolphus inquired.

"Yes I do. Hermione and I used to come here every year as children. That's how we know each other." Rosalie said before she could stop herself. She cringed slightly before she looked up apologetically to Hermione.

Both wizards eyes went wide with a surprised expression as they looked between both witches. "You know one another from childhood?" Rodolphus asked looking at Hermione.

"It's a long story but yes, my family and I used to come here every holiday. Rosalie's family did as well. That's how we became acquainted as children."

"You are full of surprises aren't you Hermione," Rodolphus said, taking the opportunity to study her eyes. It was at that moment the band began a rendition of _Only_ _Forever_. It was one of her favorite Bing Crosby songs. Rodolphus noticed the light flash in her eyes as the song started. "Would you care to dance Hermione," as he rose, extending a hand to her.

"I would very much like that Rodolphus," she beamed as he lead her out onto the dance floor.

"Are they always so intense?" Rosalie leaned in and asked Rabastan as they watched the couple walk to the dance floor.

Rabastan took advantage of the close proximity to this lovely witch. He leaned in closer and inhaled her scent. She smelled like fresh rain and gardenias. It was heavenly. "I'm afraid so, until they actually admit their obvious attraction to one another, I fear we're to be subjected to it. However, they are making that look quite enjoyable. Would you care to dance, Rosalie?"

"I would love to, Rabastan." She smiled in response and didn't notice the desire in his eyes when she spoke his name for the first time. She took his hand as he led her to the floor.

"I have an inkling that what they feel is more than just an attraction," Rosalie observed as Rabastan snaked an arm securely around her waist. A shiver went up her spine at his masculine touch as he effortlessly guided her across the dance floor.

"Yes, I believe you're right. However, it would be a shame to waste such a lovely evening talking about my brother when I have the most beautiful witch of my own in my arms." Rabastan said with his seductive smirk.

Rosalie was glad he was holding her stable, she was sure she would melt under his gaze and his words were like an aphrodisiac. Of course she chose that moment to trip over her own feet and cause them both to stumble. What affect was this wizard having on her?

"Oh I'm so sorry, leave it to me to be a klutz at the most inopportune moment," Rosalie couldn't have been more embarrassed as the heat flooded her face.

"Nonsense," Rabastan said as he leaned his head down to bring his mouth to her ear. His breath caressing her as he continued, "It merely gave me a reason to hold you closer," as his arm secured her to his chest, he pulled back slightly to gaze into her brilliant green eyes. "Now, tell me more about Rosalie Anberlin."

Hermione didn't even notice the other couple in the room. As far as she was concerned, the only other person in the world was this incredibly handsome wizard who seemed to be just as taken with her. When did this happen? How had she fallen for Rodolphus Lestrange? But leaning further into his strong embrace was all she cared about at the moment.

"So you used to come here when you were young. Is that why you came back here for the holiday? Were you supposed to meet your parents here or had you just planned to meet Rosalie?" Rodolphus inquired, feeling Hermione tense slightly before she answered.

"No, I was actually just planning to spend some time by myself. But then I ran into you and Rosalie and it's apparently just what I needed." She said as she smiled softly at him and leaned in even closer.

"You need me?" Rodolphus asked as he attempted to rein in a victorious smile.

"Yes, it appears as though I do."

"Hermione, I need to confess something. Follow me please," He said as he stilled them and led her towards the heated balcony just off the dining hall. They stepped out into the frigid air and he immediately took off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders. "I need to confess that we're not only here for business purposes. You see, I was in Diagon Alley a few weeks ago and wandered into a book shop. I came across Miss Weasley. She made mentioned that you were planning a two month long holiday and where you would be staying," he paused to try to gage her reaction to his admission. The look on her face was that of amusement.

Hermione shook her head and chuckled, "Ginny. You insufferable, meddlesome witch."

"So, you're not upset?"

"Of course not. Why would I be? I enjoy your company, Rodolphus." She stepped closer to him, a soft smile across her lips. "However, thank you for telling me."

"That's not all," he paused gathering his courage, he captured her gaze. His milk chocolate brown eyes met her sparkling honey brown and that was all the courage he needed. "I want to make my intentions known to you, Hermione Granger. Would you consider being exclusively mine? I've been yours far longer than you probably care to know. Would you allow me to court you?"

Hermione's heart swelled. She couldn't contain a slight giggle that bubbled up in her throat. If it was possible for her to beam brighter than the sun, she would have. She realized he was waiting for a response and immediately threw her arms around his neck and answered with a breathy and elated, "Yes, Rodolphus Lestrange! I want to be your witch."

He let out a long breath he didn't realize he was holding and wrapped both arms around her tightly and pulled her as close as he could. He looked down at her beautiful face that was radiating sheer joy and all he wanted to do was… "Can I kiss you, _my_ Hermione?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "You're my wizard, you can kiss me anytime you want. In fact, I highly encourage it." With that he smiled and brought one hand up to cup her cheek and the other arm remained tightly around her. He leaned down slowly and their lips met in a sweet and hesitant kiss. Hermione wasted no time deepening the kiss. She ran both her hands up the nape of his neck into his thick dark hair. The feel of her fingers running through his hair emboldened him. He swiped his tongue along her bottom lip, requesting entry and she immediately complied. There was no struggle for dominance as they just let what felt natural to them happen. She sighed and melted into him. He felt perfect to her.

Her lips felt soft and heavenly; her sighs excited him and he knew he needed to stop or they would never get back inside to have dinner. He would take her back to his room and she would _be_ his dinner. Sweet Salazar, he needed to stop this line of thought immediately but she wasn't helping. She was practically hanging off of him as she kissed him even deeper. Their tongues never ceased exploring the other's and their hands were tangled in the other's hair. Finally they both needed a breath and they reluctantly pulled apart but she didn't loosen her grip on him. He leaned his forehead against hers. They were both breathing heavy and her chest was rising and falling beautifully. He couldn't help the reaction his body had at the sight of her.

"Good Godric, that was electric." Hermione said breathily.

Rodolphus chuckled as he reluctantly pulled back just a bit. He studied her flushed cheeks and was overjoyed that she was finally his. Something he thought he would only ever dream about. But they needed to get back inside.

"We have company waiting for us. And if I'm not mistaken a bottle of wine that we haven't touched."

"Yes, you're right, we better go back." She said reluctantly. As she stepped away from him he slipped an arm around her waist as they walked back to the dining hall together,his jacket still wrapped around her shoulders. They approached their booth to the sight of Rabastan and Rosalie enjoying the wine, sitting as close as physically possible while they both laughed at something he just said. "On second thought I think we might be interrupting a moment," Hermione said with a smirk and an arched eyebrow.

Rodolphus chuckled, "Possibly, but I'm ready for dinner, how about you?"

"Yes, I forgot how hungry I am. I've been delightfully distracted," she teased with a sly grin and a wink. They slid into the booth and she placed his jacket behind her as she sat close to him with his arm around her.

"There you two are, we almost finished the whole bottle of wine ourselves," Rosalie laughed with a playful hint in her tone and a knowing look in Hermione's direction.

Rabastan handed his brother a menu with a smirk on his face, "Hermione, would you care for a glass of wine?" He asked her as he lifted the bottle in her direction as the waiter approached to take their order.

"Yes please. Thank you, Rabastan."

"Rosalie was just telling me all about Ilvermorney. How different it is from Hogwarts, yet so very similar. Did you know a descendant of Slytherin founded Ilvermorny?" Rabastan said with amusement in his eyes. Rodolphus hadn't seen his brother this light-hearted in decades. Perhaps he wasn't the only one who needed this holiday.

The rest of dinner passed with enjoyment as conversation came easily and they all were enraptured by the delicious cuisine. The chef was truly splendid. They finished their meals and the evening came to a close. They all walked back to the elevator. Rodolphus had his arm around Hermione's waist as she walked as close to him as possible. Rosalie's hand rested on Rabastan's proffered arm. When they made it to the third floor each couple broke away to say their good nights.

Rabastan raised Rosalie's hand to his lips and kissed it with more sensuality than he had when greeting her. She kissed his cheek and agreed to meet him the next morning for breakfast then for a walk together on the trails. Rosalie backed into her own room and Rabastan waited till the door was closed. He turned to see his brother and Hermione were saying goodnight so he walked to his shared room to give them privacy in the hall.

Rodolphus had his fingers laced in hers as he softly kissed each finger between speaking. Words couldn't describe how captivated Hermione was with this man. Her wizard. How she loved the thought of that.

"Will you spend breakfast with me tomorrow? Perhaps we could walk the grounds together. I have business that will take me away for the rest of the day, but a morning with you will make all that unpleasant boring business seem much more tolerable."

"I would love to spend time with you. But I'm disappointed you'll be gone all day. I do believe I'm going to miss you. Silly as that sounds. I know we have only officially been dating for...what about three hours now?" She said with a chuckle as she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to draw her close.

"That's not silly at all. Remember why I'm here to begin with? Because I couldn't bear the thought of not being able to see you, even if just in passing, for a whole two months. We have a special connection, Hermione. One I will not deny."

"It does seem like you've put a spell on me," She teased but didn't go any further as a voice interrupted their mushy romantic moment.

"Have you kissed goodnight yet? I need to talk to Hermione," Rosalie said as she poked her head out the door with a bright teasing smile on her face.

Rodolphus and Hermione both smiled and decided it was best to oblige. His lips met hers in a searing kiss and they broke away so she could go visit with Rosalie.

"I'll see you tomorrow at nine," he said with one last chaste kiss to her lips.

"Tomorrow."

He walked to his room as she knocked on Rosalie's door. He waited for her to enter before he walked into his own. He got his witch. His night was perfect.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rosalie pulled Hermione in and seemed a little more excited than was normal. She couldn't stop moving.

"Was your date with Rabastan that enjoyable or did something else happen to get you so excited." Hermione teased.

"First, my time with Rabastan was magical and unlike anything I've ever experienced with any wizard, not that I have much experience, but you know what I mean. I'm very much attracted to him and I can't wait to see him again tomorrow. Second, I'm sorry to have interrupted you but I've been bursting at the seams all night! I had to hold back at dinner. I knew I couldn't tell you in front of them. It was Rabastan, handsome intelligent man that he is." Rosalie paused to catch her breath. "He talked to me about when we were young and our time here together. Then he asked me if I had any siblings."

Hermione politely waited to see where this was going before she asked her to get to the point. She obviously had something exciting to tell her.

"Hermione, I have a theory on why I remember you."

Hermione perked up at that, "I'm listening."

"The Nelson sisters. Do you remember them? They were those horrid girls that were the pretty ones who bullied us relentlessly."

"Yes I do. Wow, I haven't thought of them in ages. What do they have to do with why you remember me? They only came for a couple years. I believe we were six and seven? Maybe seven and eight? Not sure, but yes they were particularly horrid little monsters."

Rosalie finally took a seat next to Hermione on the couch and held her hands. "We were six. Hermione, think back to when we were six and the Nelson sisters locked me in the tool shed when it was practically a blizzard outside and took my coat. I was in there for hours. Remember, you went searching for me and you didn't know how it was that you found me but you did. The adults were frantic when we both walked in together practically frozen. The Nelson sisters got scared when they saw all the commotion and the evil eye you shot their way."

Hermione's eyes went wide, "Yes, I do remember that."

"I have no doubt in my mind it was our magic that lead you to find me because you and I never played anywhere _near_ the tool shed. We didn't even know it was there. Regardless, you found me. Do you remember what happened after? Do you remember what we did?" Rosalie sat waiting patiently for Hermione to answer.

Hermione froze as realization hit her. "We became acutely aware that we were the only two children in a large group of families without siblings. So we made a sister pact. We became each other's sister."

"Exactly, do you remember _how_ we did that?"

Hermione shot out of her seat and began pacing as she recalled what Rosalie was trying to get her to see. "Oh sweet Merlin! We pricked our fingers with a sewing needle and made a blood pact."

Together they repeated what they had spoke to each other those many years ago. _"A Sister's blood runs tried and true. There's no other sister quite like you."_

"We repeated that three times as our blood mingled. Hermione, we didn't know it at the time, but our magic recognized that blood pact. That's how I remember you."

Hermione's mouth dropped open in complete shock, "Good Gods, Rosalie, you're right. In magic, blood is the most potent of activators," pausing, she looked at Rosalie in complete disbelief. "So my magic recognizes you as my sister?"

Rosalie stood and nodded her head,a look of sheer delight on her face as Hermione's eyes filled with tears. She came here broken and alone with only Harry as family. She came here out of desperation to have one final connection to what family she had lost in a tragic and heinous war only to find she had a brilliant, beautiful loving sister and a handsome, powerful, gentle wizard who cared for her very much. She threw her arms around Rosalie as they clung to each other and cried tears of joy together. Words couldn't describe how she felt in that moment. She had family again.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun peeked through her curtains and shined bright in the winter sky. Hermione opened her eyes and looked at the clock. It was eight, she only had an hour before she had to meet everyone. Her emotional evening with Rosalie came flooding back and her heart swelled as she thought of her sister. She showered and got ready for her morning with Rodolphus as she recalled how deeply she cared for him. It had been a slow burn for them, starting two years ago when she stepped into his cell to interview him. Now it felt like things were moving at the speed of light. Smiling to herself, she was elated at the prospect of enjoying a happy Christmas again. She would always love her parents, always miss them but knowing she wasn't alone would help her heal.

She walked out into the hall and was greeted by Rosalie and both brothers. As they walked down to the restaurant they paired off again like they had the previous night. Rosalie and Rabastan couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Rodolphus and Hermione always made sure they were touching somehow, even if it was simply placing a hand on the others back or arm. They walked in and again they seemed to have the restaurant to themselves. They sat down and enjoyed breakfast together, then decided to walk the grounds. They were walking around the winter garden when Rosalie finally asked something she had been wondering.

"So you both know how Hermione and I met. I don't think we talked about how you all met. How long have you known each other?" She asked with a smile.

Everyone went silent and stilled. No one knew how to respond so Hermione took the lead. "Well it's a bit of a long story, but we met during the war. You see, the funny thing is we actually….that is to say….I guess I'll just say it. We were on opposite sides of the war."

Rosalie's face fell, "Opposite sides of the war? As in, you both were…?"

"Death Eaters. We were Death Eaters," Rabastan said finishing her sentence with a mix of shame and regret in his voice.

"Oh I see." Rosalie didn't quite know how to take the news. On one hand neither wizard seemed to be anything like the description of Death Eaters Hermione had painted for her. But then again she really didn't know them. However, Hermione herself seemed to be okay with them. Enough so to be happily dating one of them. So why was this so awkward for her to accept? Hermione interrupted her thoughts.

"Do you remember when I told you about that vile, abhorrent curse Voldemort created and used to control and build his army? Well, the men subjected to that curse were just as much victims of that heinous monster as anyone. They didn't do it because they wanted to. Although the curse made them _think_ they wanted to. It wasn't truly them. I fought for them Rosalie, I fought for them and many others. Harry and I both did." She held Rodolphus' hand tightly when she said this and she gave Rabastan a kind gaze.

Rosalie contemplated everything Hermione said then looked up "I trust your judgement Hermione. You're the one who endured the war. I only know about it." Looking at Rabastan she took hold of his hand and brought it to her lips and smiled softly. "Could you two give us a moment," Rosalie asked looking at Hermione.

"Of course, I would like some time with Rodolphus anyway before they have to leave for the day." Rodolphus and Hermione walked along the gardens in the direction of a snowy trail. With their arms around each other she felt so warm, so safe. She had been thinking about this all night. Perhaps she was rushing things. Perhaps she wasn't. But what she knew was how she felt for the wizard next to her.

"Rodolphus, I've been thinking. When you come back tonight, will you stay with me?"

He stopped their progress and turned to face her. "You want me in your room tonight? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am so very sure. I know this all might seem a bit surprising but my feelings for you began two years ago. The moment I stepped into your cell to interview you with Harry to determine if you needed help. I felt _something_ between us, but quite honestly I didn't know what it was. I threw myself into my work fighting for you and the others but if I'm honest with myself, you were the first person we interviewed. I felt something for you and only you. I was truly fighting for you and the others were able to benefit from this because of what I wanted to do for _you_. I know this sounds silly and probably even insane. I don't even know why I'm admitting this. But you see, I think...what I'm trying to say is...this...between us, is something very special to me. And well, I think... I'm pretty sure that…"

"I love you." He said interrupting her rant. "I loved you before you stepped foot in my cell. I walked in on what happened to you at Malfoy manor. That beast was about to apparate away with you. I interrupted, I didn't have a plan I just knew they couldn't hurt you anymore, I wouldn't let them. Then you escaped and I was so relieved. I tried to protect you in the final battle. Rookwood nearly killed you but I killed him first. I've loved you for years Hermione Granger." He said as he cupped her cheek with both hands, bore his eyes into hers and poured his heart out to the one witch he knew he would spend the rest of his life loving.

Hermione was so overwhelmed with emotions but most of all love. Love for this incredible man. This powerful, brave, handsome wizard, who had endured hell and survived. She couldn't find the words to speak to say what she wanted to, so she kissed him. She kissed him with such a ferocity that she felt she would bruise her own lips. She held him as close as she could as her lips moved over his and she melted into him. Her hands slid down his chest over his wool coat and unlatched each button going down. She needed to feel as close to him as possible. Never breaking the kiss her delicate hands slid over the soft shirt covering his broad chest. This seemed to be her favorite part of him. But she still had so much of him to explore.

His tongue invaded her mouth as she released a throaty moan into his kiss and he backed her into a nearby tree. The passion and intensity was almost too much to bear, but she didn't want to stop. She needed him, every part of him. She would love him forever. She loved him and needed to tell him. Reluctantly breaking away from the kiss, breathing heavily he rested his forehead against hers, "I love you Rodolphus Lestrange." He was still breathing heavily as he smirked in his devilish way that made her knees weak and he captured her lips again. He was never letting her go.

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Later in the day Hermione and Rosalie were sitting in Rosalie's room. There was a beautiful picture window and the snow fall was breathtaking. They were in their flannel pajamas, the fire was lit and they decided to have a sisters afternoon with wine, chocolate, popcorn and their absolute favorite holiday movie, _White_ _Christmas_.

"You know I always thought Uncle Danny really did look almost exactly like Danny Kaye." Rosalie said as they watched Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen move flawlessly together across the screen.

"Yes, I have always thought the same thing." Hermione exclaimed as they laughed. "I thought it was even more of a coincidence that he owned an Inn in snowy Vermont. I had a little crush on Danny Kaye when I was a girl. Mum used to tease me about how often I'd watch this movie, even in the summer." Hermione giggled.

"Do you remember the one time when we missed watching it together, so we called each other and watched it as we sat on the phone. Much to the dismay of our parents when the phone bill arrived." Rosalie laughed reminiscing as she grabbed a handful of popcorn and washed it down with a sip of delicious wine.

Hermione laughed and nodded. "I distinctly remember the lecture I got from dad about the importance of being responsible with my phone privileges. But that didn't stop us from doing the same thing when we wanted to watch Roman Holiday together." Both girls laughed at the memories.

The characters on the screen were on a train singing a song about snow when Hermione decided to break off a piece of chocolate and change the subject. Handing Rosalie a piece she asked "So is everything sorted with you and Rabastan?"

Rosalie bit the chocolate and sighed before answering. "I won't lie, learning about his status during the war isn't easy to accept. I've always been a pretty good judge of character though. I can't see him being a Death Eater. I know I just met him Hermione, so I don't want to get ahead of my own feelings but I really like that man, so much," she paused for a moment and smiled to herself as she swirled her wine around her glass.

"He has this way about him. He makes me feel, desired and safe when I'm around him. I don't know how it was for you in school because we haven't really talked about it much. But, I was this self-conscious, shy girl. I was sorted into Horned Serpent and that house favors the mind, I was always studying in the library or in the common rooms. I really didn't date much at all. We had a few balls and I was always asked by someone but I felt like that awkward girl, forever doing something clumsy or silly. I've done that a few times already with Rabastan, but instead of making me feel clumsy, he somehow turns it into this classic movie romantic moment. I feel like I want him around for a long time. I want to get to know him as a person, not who people label him because of his past. Things are great with him so far and I really hope they continue being great."

"I'm so glad to hear that. He's a good man and a powerful wizard. Those men literally endured hell. I don't want to give too much of what I know away because, quite frankly, it's not my story to tell. Perhaps one day he will confide in you. But I don't want to betray that trust. However, what happens when we go back to London?"

"Well, I have family in London," Rosalie said with a smile as she nudged Hermione's shoulder against her own. "Who's to say I don't want to go back with you. I've always wanted to visit the magical community. I've gone with my parents but they're No-Maj so we stayed in the No-Maj areas. But my sister is this brilliant, powerful war hero who broke into an ancient, highly secured, goblin owned magical bank, stole a horcrux from the family vault of the man she's now infatuated with then escaped on the back of a dragon and lived to tell the tale. That's pretty bad ass by the way. So I think I'd have a lot to keep me there for quite some time." Rosalie laughed and Hermione couldn't contain her laughter either.

"What about work? What do you actually do? I never asked you," Hermione realized as she took another sip of her wine.

"I can take my job anywhere. I've created this new line of magical alcohol." At this Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at her with curiosity.

"Well, when I was young I was never close with my mother's parents. I wasn't their only grand child and I was their least favorite. They always called me an 'odd bird' I hated it. But as it turns out, my parents and I were the only ones in the family they left all their money to when they passed. Apparently everyone sucked up to them because they were rich. We never did and for whatever reason, they liked that about us. So, with my inheritance I bought a vineyard. It took me two years to alter it from a no-maj establishment to a magical one. It's not too far from here. This is my wine actually," She said holding up the bottle they had both been drinking from. "That's how I keep myself sustained and pay for the vineyard. I supply this for Danny and Julia among many other establishments in the area. But my magical creation is what I'm most proud of. What I did was take the grapes that I couldn't harvest for the wine and altered them magically. I mixed them with a few other magical ingredients and I came up with a drink I call _Witches_ _Delight_."

Hermione was intrigued, "What exactly is witches delight?" She asked with a curious smile on her face.

Rosalie smiled, got up and went to the fridge in the kitchenette. She pulled out a bottle shaped like a large vintage style potions bottle of clear liquid with iridescent flakes floating all around. With a label that was in purple and gold with fancy cursive writing that said ' _What_ _Will_ _Be_ _Your_ _Witches_ _Delight_ '. She popped the cork and poured Hermione a glass.

Hermione smelled it first then took a sip. A burst of flavor filled her senses, a mix of mango, coconut, salt and lime flooded her tastebuds. Her eyes went wide with pleasure, "This is delicious." Then Rosalie poured another glass and handed it to Hermione.

"Now try this one," Hermione looked at her confused.

"I still have some left. Just sit it there I'll drink that glass as well, it truly is divine."

Rosalie chuckled, rolled her eyes and handed her the glass. "Take a sip. Trust me."

Hermione sat her glass down and complied, she took the other glass and sipped the drink. This time her senses were flooded with a mix of mint and lime with a burst of crisp bubbles and rum. Like a muggle mojito only so much more crisp and flavorful. "How the hell did you that? Did you do something to the glass?"

Rosalie laughed and shook her head, "No. I have been working on this for years Hermione. I thought of this when I was a fourth year. I wasn't even the legal drinking age when I started researching this idea. I told you, I was a super nerd. So, I researched a lot on the no-maj science of genetic taste difference and the DNA behind each person's individual palette. Then I brought in the magical aspect of things to work with the person's DNA. Each glass poured is magically enhanced to pull a different flavor preference from the person's actual genetic makeup. The ingredients are very important and the process of handling the ingredients is _dire_. One wrong move and you could be tasting a dirty diaper. Trust me I know." Rosalie said as she grimaced at a memory she never wanted to relive.

Hermione burst out laughing at her. She remembered Rosalie was always funny but she hadn't laughed this much in years. It felt good to be with her again. "Rosalie this is beyond genius. Have you produced a lot of this?"

"This is only my third batch that I've got right. I've had to throw away a lot since I started distilling it a couple years ago. While I did this I also distilled something I call Wizards Bourbon. I hate Firewhiskey and I wanted to make something so that when I wanted a good bourbon I could choose something magical. No-maj have all the good drinks. Why should they have all the fun when we're the ones with magic," she paused pouring herself a glass of Witches Delight before continuing.

"So the Wizards Bourbon is magically altered to create the perfect Bourbon according to the individual's idea of perfection. Basically a very similar process, only it doesn't need to pull the different flavors and change it. It merely enhances the layers and nuances of the Bourbon itself to each individual palette. So the magic is a little different. I was going to give a bottle to each of our wizards and get their opinions. I wonder if they'll let me know. I've put a lot of time, money and effort into distilling and creating these drinks. When I release them to the magical world, I want them to be absolutely perfect."

Hermione sat in awe, "My sister is a genius, beautiful and owns her own business. I'm so proud of you Rosalie. I would be thrilled to help you whenever you need me to. Perhaps I could stay a bit longer and help you at your vineyard. I'd love to learn more about it. After my work with the Rehabilitation Program I knew I didn't want anything to do with the ministry. So I left my position once I knew that all the men had been taken care of and I passed the torch to Harry. He gladly took over the responsibility. This is when I took the time and decided to come here. I'm so glad I did."

The girls spent the remainder of their afternoon catching each other up on life at school and talking about their two favorite brothers. Hermione knew she had a special night ahead of her with Rodolphus and couldn't wait.

A/N First I want to say thank you to all of you lovely readers who took the time to leave a review. It's so encouraging that you all seem to like the story so much. Thank you for reading and thank you for reviewing.

Thank you so much to my lovely betas for this chapter Geekmom13 & Kaarina Riddle. You gals are the absolute best!

I chose to do the notes at the end this time because I wanted to say I hope you liked the addition of Wizards Bourbon & Witches Delight! I was excited to introduce a couple of new magical alcohol choices. You'll be seeing them in more of my stories. I enjoy them too much to not use them in future stories.


	5. Chapter 5

Oh my goodness, you all have got to be the most amazing group of readers to ever exist. Thank you so very much for your kind, supportive and sweet reviews of my story. I hope it's getting you in the holiday spirit! After this there is only one chapter left.

Thank you again to my lovely Betas Sandra-Sempra & Geekmom13 for sticking with me through this story and making it even better.

Just to warn you all there is a smut scene in this chapter.

Hope you all enjoy the update. I love to hear what you think :~)

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As the night approached, Hermione returned to her room to shower and get herself ready. She was lost in a book when there was a knock at her door. She smiled big and got up to open it. Rodolphus was standing with a devilishly handsome smirk and a dozen perfect lavender roses.

"You got me lavender roses. They're my favorite. How did you know?" She asked, taking the flowers and kissing him sweetly.

Rodolphus smiled slyly, "I may have overheard you mention it once and I remembered."

"I'm so glad you're here," She kissed him soundly again. She pulled back to smell her roses. "These smell heavenly. Let me put these in water. I'll be right back."

When she walked back in, she sat next to him on the couch and snuggled into his side. "How was your day? Did everything go smoothly with what business you had to attend to?"

He sighed in apparent frustration. "Yes and no. Unfortunately it's not finished. We'll need to leave again tomorrow and I'll be gone for two days."

"Is everything alright? Is it anything I might be able to help you with?" Hermione asked.

Rodolphus smiled lovingly at her as he tucked a stray curl behind her ear, "If it was anything I could tell you about right now I would. But I promise once it's all settled, you will be the first to know." He tapped her nose playfully. "It's something I want to share with you once everything is finalized. Trust me. I don't think you'll be disappointed."

"I trust you," she paused with a coquettish smile. "But since we don't have much time together, we better not waste what little we have." She said seductively as she climbed on him and straddled his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her lips pressed to his. She didn't even wait to deepen the kiss.

God, how this man excited her. His lips were perfect against hers. Her fingers ran through his thick dark hair as his hands roamed her body, landing firmly on the curves of her waist. She felt his prominent excitement and she began slowly grinding her hips against him. A shot of adrenaline pulsed through at the mere thought of making this powerful wizard come undone with nothing more than her raw feminine abilities. She moaned into his mouth; his lips moved from hers down her jaw to smooth delicate crook of her neck.

The sounds he was emitting from her were driving him mad with lust. When she moaned his name, he couldn't take it any longer, the hands on her waist slipped down to firmly grab her arse. His lips never breaking contact with her luscious skin, he lifted them both and walked them to the bed. Her legs wrapped tightly around him as she grinded herself against him. Her hands undoing each button of his shirt as he laid her down and hovered over her. Her legs remained tightly around his waist and he loved that.

She worked at removing his shirt and slid it off his broad shoulders. When it was completely off, she bit her bottom lip as her eyes and hands ghosted over the tattoos across his firm chest and muscled arms, gods he was magnificent. He saw her eyes darken with lust and wasted no time tugging at the hem of her shirt and moving it up over her head. His hands caressed over the swell of her creamy breast and she mewled as his fingers tugged at her hardened peaks through her black lace bra. She arched her back, pushing her chest further into his hands. Growling at the sight of her writhing beneath him, he reached around her back, unhooked the bra and slowly slid it off her body in a single fluid motion. She was fumbling with his belt as he leaned back and took in the sight of his topless witch lying beneath him: her soft halo of brunette curls, her swollen pink lips and her heaving breasts were enough to make him completely mad.

"Too many clothes," she moaned breathlessly as she reached to remove his belt. He hooked his thumbs through the waist of her pants. With one swift move they were off and she was in nothing but soaked black lace knickers. He felt a surge of masculine pride at the sight of what he had done to her; all without truly ever touching her yet. He quickly removed his pants and she her knickers. He stood over her and leaned down, kissing every inch of her collar bone down to her breasts.

"You have absolutely perfect breasts," his mouth circled around a perfect peak. He sucked and nibbled while playing with the other between his finger and thumb.

"Oh gods yes. Oh Rodolphus," she moaned as he made his way to the other breast. Her fingers were clawing across his back, shoulders and through his hair as she writhed under him. Her body was almost rapacious in its desire for more of him, "Ahh...I need...nghhh."

He peered up at her, running his hand down over her stomach to her wet and ready core. "Tell me what you need love. What do you want me to do?" He asked seductively as he continued to tease her core without entering.

"I need you," she was breathless now. "Need you inside of me"

He climbed back over the top of her. She instinctively spread her legs, opening herself to him even more. He ran his hard pulsing cock over her wetness, rubbing over her clit. He was rewarded with a new sound from her and it made him even more excited. If it was even physically possible.

Hermione bit her lip and bucked her hips against his cock "Aahhh Hhhmmmmmm," was the only coherent thing she could speak.

As he slowly slid into her, he watched enraptured as she opened her mouth and held his gaze just as he entered her but she didn't make a sound. They both were lost in a haze of passionate desire as he settled himself fully into her throbbing heat when she finally moaned again in pleasure. He was as deep as he could go, but he allowed her to adjust to him before he moved again.

" _Fuck_! You feel so good," He lost himself as she began moving her hips. He pulled out and thrust inside of her again. They both found a rhythm and moved in perfect sync.

"Hmmmm, oh gods you fit inside of me just perfect," she said as he began thrusting with more force. "Oh yeah, just like that," was the only other thing she could say before he started pounding her hitting her perfect spot with every forceful thrust. She fisted the sheets beneath her as the tightening inside her became too much to bare. She had to let go.

He could feel her right on the brink of explosion. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Come for me Hermione. Come screaming my name."

She did just that. She clutched to his shoulders tightly as she rested her head against his neck and screamed his name in utter ecstasy as her body tensed, her toes curled and she clenched around him. He fell over the edge at the feel of her milking him and taking everything he gave her.

He lay on top of her for a moment, careful not to crush her as she clung to him tightly. Finally their breathing slowed but she didn't let go. She kept her legs locked firmly around him and held him inside of her until he naturally slipped out. He kissed her passionately and rolled to the side.

"Bloody hell witch, that was incredible." He said in her ear as he nuzzled the side her face with his arms draped over her. "But I didn't get to taste you."

"Oh we have all night my love. Did you really think I invited you to my bed to get any sleep? Oh no, darling, I'm going to worship every inch of you _all_ _night_ _long_." She said as she climbed over him and began kissing him again. "Next I want to bring you off with just my mouth." She said seductively as she sucked and licked a particularly sensitive spot on his neck.

"You little minx. You will be the absolute death of me." He said as she kissed up his jaw slowly then hovered her lips over his without touching them.

"Quite the contrary, darling, I'll be the one to keep you young," She crashed her lips on his and began grinding against him again. It was going to be a very long night indeed. All he knew was how much loved his little vixen.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rodolphus felt a tickle against his nose as the alarm sounded, signaling he needed to wake up. To say he was exhausted was a gross understatement. Hermione had not been kidding when she said he wasn't going to get any sleep. He smirked at the memory of the passion filled night they shared. Years of sexual tension and desire had finally been released in a particularly _climactic_ night. Even he was impressed with his stamina around this arousing sexual creature.

Currently resting on his chest, she was sound asleep. He almost thought of waking her up so she could experience the same sheer exhaustion over what she put him through, but he smirked and decided against it when he saw her peaceful face nestled against him. Christmas was only four days away and he really wanted this to work. If he had his way, he and his witch wouldn't be going back to London anytime soon. He would work diligently to make sure everything worked out just as he planned. He softly removed himself from her hold and bent down to kiss her forehead before exiting to his own room to shower and prepare for the day.

When he walked in Rabastan was almost done dressing and smirked at his brothers disheveled appearance. "Long night?" He teased.

Rodolphus laughed, "Merlin, that witch is relentless. She is without a doubt the most passionate woman I have ever encountered," pausing as he flashed a victorious smile. "I am one lucky bastard," They both laughed as he walked to the bathroom. "Speaking of lucky bastards, did you spend any quality time with Rosalie? She seems to be quite taken with you."

"Yes, I did and from the few days I've known her, I've grown rather fond of her myself. She's incredibly bright. Did you know she owns her own vineyard and produces wine that she supplies the local establishments here? Apparently, the wine we've been drinking is hers."

"Really? Quite impressive as I haven't come across a less than splendid bottle here yet."

"Yes. She also distills a Magical Bourbon: enchanted to cater to the specific individual's taste pallet. You end up experiencing the most incredible Bourbon you ever thought possible."

"Now that I _will_ have to try. I prefer a good Bourbon over anything else." Rodolphus responded before he turned on the shower and got ready to go.

When he got out, Rabastan was already gone, no doubt to say goodbye to Rosalie. He dressed, stepped out of his room and was greeted with warm honey brown eyes and a bright beautiful smile.

"Did you really think I would let you leave for two days and not send you off myself?"

He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her to his chest. "If I can get back sooner I will. I shouldn't be longer than a couple of days, then I'm here with you for as long as you desire."

"That's a promise I can live with. Be safe and rest up. We have another steamy night of passion to look forward to when you get back."

He chuckled and place a quick kiss to her lips. "I love you."

She smiled contently back at him, "I love you, too."

Just then Rabastan stepped out of Rosalie's room and walked towards the elevator with his brother.

Hermione and Rosalie decided they would meet for breakfast so they showered, got ready for the day, and met in the hall to head down stairs. On their way to the restaurant, they passed the reception desk and Hermione saw a familiar head of dark brown tousled hair. When the entrance door opened to another familiar face, Hermione broke into a huge smile and ran to greet Harry.

"Harry what are you doing here!" She exclaimed excitedly as she rushed up to him and threw her arms around him.

He hugged her back and responded, "Do you honestly think I would ever let my sister spend Christmas alone? We're here to be with you for the holidays."

At that moment Ginny walked up and Hermione hugged her tightly. "You two are the best."

"We were just about to check in," Ginny said as Danny approached them.

"Uncle Danny, these are friends of mine and Hermione's. Would you be willing to put them in the last suite on the third floor with us?" Rosalie chimed in.

"Anything for you darlin'," Danny said with a wink as he began checking Harry and Ginny in.

Hermione began to tug on Ginny's coat, motioning towards the elevators. She grabbed Rosalie's arm and the trio set off.

While they were in the elevators Ginny broke the silence, "You know your uncle looks a lot like that one muggle actor for the holiday film you like, Hermione? What was the name of that film again?"

"White Christmas. And yes Danny does look a lot like Danny Kaye." Hermione said as both she and Rosalie laughed. Ginny looked at them like she was waiting to be clued in to some secret. "Rosalie and I were literally just having this discussion a couple of days ago." The trio stepped out of the slow elevator and went straight to Hermione's room.

As soon as the door was closed, Hermione crossed her arms and looked teasingly at Ginny. "You meddlesome little witch."

Ginny bust out laughing. "I take it things are going well with Rodolphus then? Are you finally shagging him?"

Hermione turned to look at Rosalie and said, "We have Ginny to thank for the Lestrange brothers being here. Apparently she _nonchalantly_ dropped the location of my trip to Rodolphus before I left. And to answer your question, Ginny, yes things are going rather splendidly. We are officially dating and we shagged each other senseless too many times to count last night."

Ginny picked up a pillow and screamed into it. "Finally!" she turned to Rosalie, "The intensity between those two was almost exhausting. You have no idea."

Rosalie laughed, "Actually I might have a small idea. A few nights ago they invited us for dinner. When they greeted each other it was as if myself and Rabastan didn't even exist. Actually, the first hour and a half of that dinner date they acted like they were the only two people on earth. It was one of the most intense and romantic displays I've ever seen."

"Ginny, this is my sister Rosalie Anberlin. Rosalie this is my best friend Ginny Weasley."

"Weasley? Are you in any relation to a Percy Weasley?"

Both girls looked at Rosalie in complete and total shock.

"He's my brother. How do you know him?" Ginny responded.

"It was before I purchased my vineyard, I was an intern at the MACUSA in the Department of International Magical Affairs. Every fifty years the MACUSA and the Ministry resign the M.A.T. or The Magical Alliance Treaty. Both governments take turns hosting a ball to welcome the other to another fifty years of peace and friendship between the two magical countries. Due to the issues going on with the ministry at the time, the MACUSA hosted it. Your brother was there. He danced with me and actually asked me out on a date. Nothing happened beyond a couple of uneventful dates. We went out twice before I concluded that he was just always a pompous jackass. No offense."

Ginny laughed, "None taken, Percy is a pompous arse. However I have three other handsome available brothers if you're interested. Charlie would be utterly smitten. You're exactly his type. He's a dragon tamer in Romania."

"Not to mention he's absolutely _gorgeous_." Hermione added.

Rosalie smirked, "Gorgeous dragon tamer you say? Well, if things don't work out with Rabastan I'll know to plan a trip to visit Hermione in London and make sure I meet your three handsome brothers."

"You're dating Rabastan Lestrange? Good Godric Hermione, you've only been gone for a week. What on earth happened?"

"A lot," Hermione replied.

At that moment there was a soft knock on the door and Hermione opened it for Harry. Ginny immediately informed him, "Have a seat love, apparently we've missed a lot. These two have _quite_ the interesting story to tell."

"Are you finally dating Rodolphus? I really don't think I can take anymore of your unresolved sexual tension. Or the way you both zone out when you're around each other. It's quite sickening actually." Ginny and Rosalie couldn't help the burst of jovial laughter.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly.

"Apparently they resolved all that tension over the course of an entire night. Multiple times," Ginny replied.

"Oh thank gods," Harry sighed in relief.

Hermione crossed her arms and huffed, "We were not that bad."

"Oh yes you were," Harry, Ginny and Rosalie all said in unison.

"You should have seen them a few nights ago. We met for dinner at seven, we didn't eat till almost nine," Rosalie informed Harry with a laugh.

"I didn't hear you complaining when Rabastan was pawing you on the dance floor," Hermione retorted.

"Wait, you're dating Rabastan? Is that how you two met?" Harry inquired.

"That is a very long story. But first, this will take a while. Are either of you hungry?" Hermione asked.

"Starved," Ginny replied.

"Rosalie, can you get the room service menu? I think it's better if we tell them our story in private."

After they had introduced Harry and Rosalie and ordered the food, Hermione began the story. Both Harry and Ginny listened with interest.

"Wait a minute," Harry interrupted. "If she was a part of your past with your parents, and you altered your parents memories, how does she remember you?"

"We're getting to that," Hermione and Rosalie said simultaneously.

"Oh Merlin, you sound like the twins now. Two of my handsome eligible brothers by the way," Ginny said with a wink to Rosalie.

"Anyway, long story short, at the age of six something happened here and we realized that out of all the families who visited, we were the only two children who didn't have siblings. So we made a blood pact to be the other's sister. We didn't realize at the time that we had magic. But we did and our magic recognized that blood pact and Rosalie is able to remember me because my magic recognizes her as my sister. She's my only connection to my past that survived. She's the one thing cementing all those memories." At this, Rosalie walked over to Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Ginny got up and hugged Hermione and Rosalie. "That's truly a sweet story."

"Just don't hold Percy against us. No one else in my family is like that. Truly," Ginny said.

"Wait, what's Percy got to do with all this?" Harry inquired.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Keep up Harry, Rosalie went on a couple dates with Percy when she was an intern at the MACUSA."

"I wasn't here for that part," Harry argued.

"Oh, sorry Harry." Ginny said as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

"If you two are quite finished," Hermione sighed in annoyance.

"Sorry Hermione," they both said together.

"Anyway, Rosalie met Rabastan through me. And yes I'm officially dating and happily shagging Rodolphus Lestrange."

"I think that about brings us up to date," Rosalie concluded.

"That was a lot," Harry said as he opened the door for room service. They all settled in to eat.

"Hermione, let's watch that holiday film you like so much, _White_ _Christmas_. I haven't seen that since last time I watched it with you in fourth year. It is Christmas in a few days after all," Harry suggested.

"Great idea Harry," Hermione smiled as she started the movie for them to watch.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N Well this is it..the final chapter. I truly hope you all enjoyed it. This was such a pleasure for me to write and an even greater pleasure to share it with you all. I have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to every person who took the time to leave a review. Even those of you who review after the stories completed. It's always such a pleasure to read your thoughts and hear from you. If something in this story catches your attention and sparks your interest and you find yourself wanting to use an idea in your own story, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm always happy to hear from a fellow writer.

Another great big thank you to both of my lovely & amazing Betas Sandra-Sempra & GeekMom13 for all of your amazing input. You truly are absolute gems.

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The next couple of days passed by in a blur. Rosalie and Hermione showed Harry and Ginny all the wonderful things about the inn and all their favorite places, specifically the winter garden. Hermione was quite enthusiastic at the prospect of finally being able to blend both of her worlds. She had a muggle heritage that she was proud of, and due to the war she had kept it to herself. Now she had a brother to share it with and a sister who made it all real to her again.

Ginny was in awe at the way muggles invented exciting ways to entertain themselves. "Really Hermione, snowboarding? I've never heard of it. I know of skiing through the stories you've told me and pictures I've seen," she stood in awe at the foot of the mountain where the ski lift started; Ginny looked on with fascination at a small group of people moving with skill down the slopes of the mountain. As they watched the powdered snow spraying up behind the snowboarders, Ginny couldn't help but think of one person. "Father would be over the moon if he could be here to see all of this. So would Bill, Charlie, Fred and George for that matter."

"I want to do it," Harry announced watching with excitement flashing across his green eyes. "I want to learn to snowboard, Hermione. I was never able to do anything like this growing up."

"Sorry, Harry, I never had the time to learn either. I was too preoccupied with other things to even think about learning the muggle sport."

"Well you're in luck, Harry, it just so happens that snowboarding is one of my favorite no-maj winter sports and I know where Uncle Danny keeps all the extra gear. I'm sure we can find us both something and I would be _thrilled_ to teach you," Rosalie ushered them all through the very edge of the property to a small shed that was almost hidden by tall pines surrounding it.

Hermione gasped as memories of a particularly bitter cold, snowy night came rushing back like a tilde wave. "This is the shed I found you in that night," she looked at Rosalie who had already unlocked the door. Ushering everyone inside, she turned and peered back at Hermione.

"Yes it is. Now do you see why I believe it was our magic that led you to find me? We were six, there's no way a child of that age would have been able to find this place if they didn't know _exactly_ where it was. We made it back to the inn together, in the dark. It was definitely our magic that saved us both that night."

"That's right! I took my coat off and gave it to you because you were shivering so bad when I found you. I was shivering by the time we made it back. Come to think of it, how did I even unlock the door to get you out? This is so far away from the inn. How did I even find it?" Hermione's thoughts were interrupted at the sound of Harry.

"Well I, for one, am thrilled you found Rosalie because I get to learn how to snowboard today. Ginny, take good pictures. I want to show them off to your brothers. They may do this one day too, but I want it documented that I did it first," looking proud of himself, he shuffled the skis around to find the equipment he needed.

"I promise to only take pictures that make you look good, love," Ginny rolled her eyes and chuckled while Rosalie began to help him sort through the available items. With a little magical alterations, they found the perfect fit for him and Rosalie did the same for herself. Walking back to the lifts, Hermione let Harry and Ginny walk ahead as she fell back to walk with Rosalie.

"Are you ok? You looked like a no-maj who just saw their first ghost back there," Rosalie mused.

"I just can't believe I would forget something like that. Had I not found you, Rosalie you could've…" Hermione couldn't finish as her heart sank at the thought.

Rosalie stopped and put her free arm around her sister's shoulders. "But nothing terribly awful happened because you found me. And actually we have a lot to thank the Nelson sisters for. If it weren't for that cruel prank, we may have never made that blood pact. If that's what had to happen for you to be my sister, I'd do it again a hundred times over."

Hermione smiled and wrapped her arm tight around Rosalie before letting go as they continued up the path to the foot of the mountain. Both Hermione and Ginny enjoyed a hot chocolate while they watched Harry attempt snowboarding for the first time.

Ginny allowed her mind to wander back to her brother Charlie as she watched Rosalie maneuver the board through the snow. "Can you imagine how thrilled Charlie would be to find a witch that could teach him something like this? Not to mention the wizarding alcohol she created _and_ she owns and runs a successful vineyard. I just have a feeling that perhaps Rabastan isn't the right one for her."

"Don't you dare start, Ginerva Weasley. Rosalie is perfectly happy at the moment with Rabastan. She's quite taken with him and he's a good man. He seems to be just as smitten with her. Besides, Charlie has never _once_ contemplated leaving Romania. In order for them to work he would either have to give up his job in Romania or ask her to give up everything she worked so hard for here. That's not fair to either of them. Don't you go mucking things up with your perpetual meddling."

"What you may not know, Hermione, is Charlie has mentioned more than once about possibly transferring to a dragon reserve in Nova Scotia. So it could actually be a possibility that Charlie could be working close to where her life is already. Besides, what will happen when Rabastan goes back to home?"

With one stabbing glare from Hermione the conversation ended and Ginny conceded. "Fine, but she should at least _meet_ Charlie before making up her mind."

Going back to their hot chocolate Ginny said nothing further on the subject. But Hermione knew better. There was no doubt that Ginny's brain was working overtime concocting some sort of scheme.

After a short lesson by Rosalie on the basics of safety and how to balance himself, Harry fumbled miserably but never let it stop him. They spent a better part of the afternoon on a small side of the mountain until Harry was able to stabilize himself and get a feel for the board and snow beneath him.

True to her word, Ginny's first picture made Harry look like a natural. They all spent the rest of the afternoon on the mountain until their appetites wouldn't allow them to stay any longer. With the promise of more lessons in the future, a disappointed Harry agreed to call it a day when his stomach wouldn't stop grumbling. Making their way back to the inn, Harry couldn't stop talking and asking Rosalie questions about snowboarding. He wanted to know _everything_. Hermione hadn't seen him so enthralled by something since the first time he was on the quidditch pitch. It always warmed her heart to see her brother so happy.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Finally it was the morning of Christmas Eve. Hermione was worried, Rodolphus and Rabastan were supposed to be back, and she so desperately wanted him here for Christmas. Perhaps they left a message at the front desk for her; she and Rosalie walked down together. They were shocked to see movers, boxes, suitcases and a moving van parked out front. Rosalie and Hermione shot one another questioning glances. Rosalie decided to approach Danny and Julia.

"Uncle Danny. Aunt Julia. What's going on?"

"So glad you're here darlin'. We were going to come find you before we left," Danny sat a box down to give Rosalie a hug and Hermione a friendly smile.

"It's moving day for us. You know how we had planned to sell this place and visit Wendell and Monica? Well we were contacted by someone's attorneys to negotiate an immediate purchase. Turns out they were willing to pay a handsome sum for the place and we just couldn't resist it. It was almost too good to be true. The only thing they requested was the change in ownership begin immediately, so we have to move out quicker than anticipated. But," he peered at her with soft eyes, "they agreed to take over everything, including the debt! We're down to an almost non existent staff and no reservations aside from your friends,so they have agreed to allow Miss Grayson to stay the two month duration that she had booked."

"Well it's Christmas Eve! We were going to decorate a tree together tonight. How could someone be so heartless as to kick you out on Christmas?" Rosalie argued, obviously upset about the circumstances. "Where will you go? This was your home."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head darlin'. They took care of it all. Part of the agreement was that they find us suitable living arrangements since they were asking us to leave so quickly. They found us something to our liking within a day and used part of what they were paying us for the inn as a down payment. It's all been settled, we signed the papers yesterday. We have a brand new home to spend Christmas in together." Danny was smiling as he wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her temple. "The movers are almost done loading our things. We're leaving to go home. The new proprietor should be here soon. This is going to have to be goodbye. But you'll see us again. Give your dad and mom the news for us, will you darlin'? I'll be calling him after the holidays for a get together at the new place," He waved to both girls as he walked out the door.

"Well I, for one, am sorry to see you go so soon. But I understand why you have to." Rosalie said as she gave Julia one last hug before they left.

"Oh I think you'll be just fine sweetheart." She leaned in closer and whispered, "Especially if you have the company of those handsome blokes I've seen you two with. You gals certainly know how to pick them." Julia gave one last wave to Hermione and Rosalie and exited the inn for the last time.

"Wow, I wonder who the new proprietor is? I can't believe that Uncle Danny and Aunt Julia don't own this place anymore," Hermione said shocked.

"Yeah, that was so quick. But they seem to be happy about it. Did you see how happy they were talking about their new home? At least the new owner was nice enough to look after them," Rosalie stated in a calmed tone. "Let's go see if the guys left us any messages."

After not finding anything both girls decided to take a walk on one of the trails. On their way back they were greeted by an approaching taxi.

"Perhaps this is the new owner," Hermione looked on curiously.

The doors opened and their wizards stepped out looking as handsome and distinguished as ever. Both witches smiled as they walked over to greet them.

"I'm so glad you're back," Hermione said as she threw her arms around Rodolphus and planted a kiss on his lips before he was even able to close the door.

He chuckled as he pulled back, "Now that's a greeting I could definitely get used to."

"I've missed you. You'll never believe who's here," Hermione said as she walked along the path with him leading up to the inn. "Harry and Ginny surprised me and showed up for Christmas."

He smiled lovingly at her and wrapped a strong arm around her as he kissed her temple, "That's wonderful, darling."

" _I_ _have_ _everyone_ _I_ _love_ _and_ _care_ _about_ _here_ _for_ _Christmas_. I haven't had that in so many years. It really is wonderful."

"Let's get ready for the holiday dinner and the Christmas tree decorating. I have something for you."

As they made their way in, she glanced back and saw Rabastan and Rosalie walking together up the walkway. He had his arm around Rosalie's waist whispering something in her ear that was causing her to smile beautifully and blush slightly. They really were a lovely couple.

They all made their way to their rooms and Hermione informed Harry and Ginny when to meet for dinner and the tree decorating.

"Harry, have you noticed how different Hermione is now? She's so much lighter. I don't think I ever remember her being so laid back before. It's as if a heavy burden has been lifted from her shoulders. She's still the same Hermione, only much happier. I love seeing her like this," Ginny admitted as she prepared for the evening.

"Hermione never left my side through everything, she has a tendency to take on the burdens of others. She did that with me through the entire war. She lost so much because of it. I almost feared she lost a part of herself for good. Seeing her now, having found a sister, having us together and now having Rodolphus there for her, is truly a pleasure. I love Hermione like my sister, I always will. I agree, seeing her so happy is a relief," Harry replied kissing his fiancée cheek.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The group was settled into the restaurant. The dining hall had been set up with a long family style table with everything on it for the holiday feast. There was no staff, this was truly a family holiday dinner. Something that most of them had missed out on for many, many years. Rodolphus sat at the head of the table with Hermione to his left and his brother to his right. The table was much longer than needed for the small group, and the food was an over abundance, but it all looked so delicious.

Rodolphus stood and gathered everyone's attention with a glass of champagne in his hand, "Before we eat and start the traditional Christmas celebration I'd like to propose a toast," he paused as everyone quieted down to listen. "Well, to say these lasts few decades have been hard for myself and my brother would be a gross understatement. Two years ago two people walked into a dark damp cell, looking to help someone who the rest of the world had gladly condemned." Turning his full attention to Harry and Hermione he continued. "You both fought tooth and nail, cut through the hypocrisy and the bias of the Ministry and the public. You didn't have to do what you did, but you chose to. For that, myself, my brother and many other families were brought back together and given the opportunity for restoration. For the first time for many lives someone cared enough to fight for us when we probably didn't deserve it," he paused for a moment to take a deep breath before continuing.

"No one ever thanked either of you properly for what you did. You were demonized and ridiculed by the media, the public, and even by those who you called friends. You endured it all because you felt it was the right thing to do. In the end you were proved to be right, and because of that you saved many families from being torn apart for life. Harry, Hermione, would you stand and come over here please," He motioned to a spot at the head of the table next to him but closest to the doors. Harry looked at Hermione questioningly, but she just gave a slight shrug of her shoulders and followed his instruction. He nodded his head to Rabastan, who got up to open the doors.

The entire table was taken by complete surprise when a flood of people - men, women and children - all came crowding into the dining hall. They saw every former Death Eater they had fought to free, present with all their families and loved ones. Each person, one by one, passed them and shook their hand, most in tears, and thanked them for what they did. Harry and Hermione were in shock as a range of emotions flooded them. They couldn't help the tears themselves. As the crowd took their seats, the large table was filled to maximum capacity.

Hermione and Harry stood in awe at the scene. Rodolphus took his place at Hermione's side and raised his glass. As he did every former Death Eater stood with a raised glass. "To Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Thank you for caring enough to fight when no one else would." In unison as if practiced, everyone in the room held up their glass and said thank you. Harry and Hermione were both clenching the other's hand tightly through it all. They let go and Harry returned to Ginny, who wore her own teary eyed smile, and Hermione turned to Rodolphus.

"So this is what you were doing? You and Rabastan did all this? You're amazing. You didn't have to," she looked at him with joy and gratitude emanating from her watery eyes.

"That's not all," he smiled as he motioned her to sit next to him.

"There's _more_?" She looked at him in shock. By this time everyone had started eating and the only people paying attention to the pair was Rabastan, Rosalie, Harry and Ginny.

Rodolphus pulled a folded stack of papers from his pocket and a set of keys. He appeared to be nervous. She had never seen him look nervous before. He was adorable. She couldn't help but smile lovingly at him as he presented her with what he held in his hand.

"This is one of the things I really wanted to give you. Please, open it."

She complied and unfolded the paper. There in black and white was the deed to the Snowy Mountain Inn. It had her name on the document. Her eyes went wide as she fumbled with the keys and looked at Rodolphus.

His nervousness was prominent as he continued, "I bought the inn, but I put it in your name. I bought it for you. All you need to do is sign the proper documents and this establishment is officially yours. I had hoped that perhaps you wanted….perhaps you would want me to stay and run it with you. You see my hope was we would do this together, there are only two other magical establishments in the state. I had my solicitors check. I had hoped to make this a magical establishment together. Would you, Hermione...would you want me to stay with you and do this together?"

Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the man she had slowly grown to love so fiercely over the last couple of years and all she could do was cry, smile and nod her head. She threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately. This act caught the attention of the whole table resulting in whistles, cat calls and hollers of encouragement all around. As they both sat there, she was still somewhat speechless. The last connection to her parents had been her memories with them in this place. Now she would be able to create _new_ memories with a wonderful man and her sister. She looked over to Rosalie, who had a brilliant smile on her face.

"This one's for you, Hermione," Rosalie said as she waved her wand in the air and Bing Crosby started crooning his famous holiday favorite, _White_ _Christmas_ for all to enjoy as they finished their holiday feast. Hermione looked over and noticed Thorfinn Rowle paying particular attention to Rosalie, much to the chagrin of Rabastan, who went out of his way to make it obvious she was taken. Hermione giggled at the sight. Rosalie wasn't used to such attentions and the blush on her face showed that. She loved her sister.

After dinner all the guests gathered in the lobby to decorate the tree and enjoy Christmas cookies and hot chocolate; a special drink was given to anyone who loved a good Bourbon. Rosalie decided now would be the perfect time to get some feedback on _Wizard's_ _Bourbon_. Everyone who took a sip raved about how it was the absolute best Bourbon they had ever tasted and were pleasantly surprised it was a magical beverage to boot. At the revelation that it was Rosalie who had distilled and magically enhanced it, Rabastan was further annoyed to see Rowle only stepped up his efforts at attracting Rosalie's attention. It was definitely an amusing spectacle.

Hermione was so content in that moment, she took a step back and thought on where her life had taken her. She was genuinely at peace for the first time in a very long time. She still had some healing to go through and some things to sort out, but she had her family and she had Rodolphus. She would be just fine. She would be _more_ than fine. She would be great. Feeling a pair of strong arms encircle her waist,she leaned back into his chest.

"I fear my brother may have some competition in winning the heart of Rosalie," Rodolphus chuckled in amusement.

"Rosalie is certainly not used to such attentions. But it is funny to watch. I have a feeling, though, that Rabastan has already won her heart. She is a brilliant, beautiful and a powerful witch. Rabastan better take exceptionally good care of her and treat her right."

"Poor Rowle," Rodolphus laughed as he held her tighter and kissed her temple.

"Thank you for everything, Rodolphus. Although the gift was a bit extravagant," she said as she turned around in his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He smirked down at her, "If you think that's the only gift I have for you, you're sorely mistaken, my love. Come with me." He took her hand and lead her toward the entrance. He slid off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders as they walked outside and made their way to the winter garden - her favorite spot. He had her sit on the bench and he paced nervously in front of her.

"Rodolphus is everything alright?"

He turned to her and stilled as he fumbled with his pockets. "Hermione, I really don't know what I did to deserve your love, but I couldn't be more happy to have you in my life. I've loved you for years and only dared to hope that you could ever love me in return." He started slowly pacing again when she grabbed his hand, entwined her fingers with his and brought it to her lips to kiss it softly.

"I do love you Rodolphus, so very much."

That was encouragement enough for him to continue, "I know that I still have things I need to work through, but knowing you'll be by my side makes it all bearable. I know we never talked about our age difference but I've learned to not wait too long to go after what you want," he paused, running a hand through his hair and finally sitting next to her on the bench, taking her hands into his own. "I've been given a second chance at a real life. A life I thought would only ever be a dream. It's because of you, and I've come to realize I will never want another witch. I will always love you with every fiber of my existence. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known. Although your physical beauty can not be denied, your _inner_ beauty shines with a brilliance that can never be quenched." He paused a moment as he got down on one knee in the snow, pulling a black velvet box from his pocket. "I know we've only been dating less than a week and while this may seem sudden, I've known for so very long that if I ever had this opportunity, I wouldn't let it slip. Hermione Granger, would you make me the proudest and most happiest of men and allow me to love you for the remainder of my existence. Would you be mine in every sense of the word? Will you be my wife?" He opened the box to reveal a beautiful white gold diamond ring. She didn't even pay attention to the ring. Through his whole speech tears began to trickle from her eyes. When she saw the ring she didn't hold back anything as she threw herself into his arms and kissed him with a passionate fervor. He sighed into her kiss and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yes! To everything, my love. To you and me. To forever together. _Yes_!"

He laughed and slid the ring on her finger and she finally took in its details. It sparkled like sunshine against fresh snow on a bright winter's day. The band had an intricate detail of vines and leaves with small diamonds embedded throughout and a single round one carat diamond glistening brilliantly at the center. It wasn't too big, it was perfect for her. She wouldn't have wanted anything bigger.

"Perfect." She beamed, looking up at him. "Let's go share our wonderful news." They walked, arms wrapped around one another as they headed back to the inn. She had been in thought and stopped at the porch,turning to him. "Let's set the date for Christmas Eve next year. We can have it right here and invite everyone back. What do you think?"

"He smiled brightly and kissed her, "I think that sounds perfect."

"As for the inn, I'd say the first order of business is fixing that ridiculously slow elevator. I've been waiting for someone to get themselves stuck," Hermione said with a chuckle.

Rodolphus laughed, "Then that's the first thing we'll do."

They walked back through the entrance, hand in hand, to the start of their new life together.


End file.
